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African countries inevitably take loans due to lack of fiscal space more so, due to the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic in Africa, several loans and bailouts are expected from the West. These loans come with conditions which have policy implications. This study aims at examining the impact of loans received by selected African countries from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank during the period 1994 to 2020. The study makes use of a cross sectional panel data analysis and quantile regression models. Results indicate that IMF loans had a positively but insignificant impact on GDP whilst World Bank loans and debt service to export ratio negatively affect GDP. These finding suggest that loans are not a necessary evil in Africa but what matters is targeting debt towards growth priorities. This study recommends that policies should be put to direct the use of loans towards economic growth and sustainability in Africa.