Military expenditure (current LCU) in Cameroon
Cameroon: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 364.86 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
364.86 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 12.5%
World rank
46th
of 168 countries
All-time high
364.86 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
5.62 billion current LCU
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Military expenditure in Cameroon, 1970–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 364.86 billion current LCU for military expenditure in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.5% on the previous year and up 74.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Cameroon peaked at 364.86 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.62 billion current LCU, in 1970.
That places Cameroon 46th out of 168 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.62 billion current LCU | — |
| 1971 | 5.92 billion current LCU | +5.3% |
| 1972 | 6.27 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1973 | 7.05 billion current LCU | +12.4% |
| 1974 | 8.33 billion current LCU | +18.2% |
| 1975 | 10.02 billion current LCU | +20.3% |
| 1976 | 11.58 billion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 1977 | 13.55 billion current LCU | +17.0% |
| 1978 | 16.12 billion current LCU | +18.9% |
| 1979 | 18.80 billion current LCU | +16.6% |
| 1980 | 21.10 billion current LCU | +12.3% |
| 1981 | 32.67 billion current LCU | +54.9% |
| 1982 | 43.25 billion current LCU | +32.4% |
| 1983 | 49.50 billion current LCU | +14.5% |
| 1984 | 55.60 billion current LCU | +12.3% |
| 1985 | 52.20 billion current LCU | -6.1% |
| 1986 | 50.36 billion current LCU | -3.5% |
| 1987 | 49.03 billion current LCU | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 45.98 billion current LCU | -6.2% |
| 1989 | 46.85 billion current LCU | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 49.16 billion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 50.27 billion current LCU | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 48.65 billion current LCU | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 47.62 billion current LCU | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 52.48 billion current LCU | +10.2% |
| 1995 | 56.69 billion current LCU | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 59.82 billion current LCU | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 69.29 billion current LCU | +15.8% |
| 1998 | 80.97 billion current LCU | +16.9% |
| 1999 | 89.09 billion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 2000 | 87.60 billion current LCU | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 91.12 billion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 101.50 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2003 | 109.56 billion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 116.81 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 117.67 billion current LCU | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 134.34 billion current LCU | +14.2% |
| 2007 | 142.20 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 155.20 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 162.09 billion current LCU | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 175.35 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
| 2011 | 163.96 billion current LCU | -6.5% |
| 2012 | 180.96 billion current LCU | +10.4% |
| 2013 | 194.08 billion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 198.52 billion current LCU | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 209.26 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 229.73 billion current LCU | +9.8% |
| 2017 | 238.61 billion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 238.91 billion current LCU | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 247.45 billion current LCU | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 226.33 billion current LCU | -8.5% |
| 2021 | 245.91 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 259.84 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 276.94 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 2024 | 324.34 billion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 2025 | 364.86 billion current LCU | +12.5% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 364.86 billion current LCU is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 121.21 billion current LCU, 3.0× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 364.86 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 122.65 billion current LCU, 3.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) in Cameroon changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +54.9% | 21.10 billion current LCU | 32.67 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.33 billion current LCU | 5.62 billion current LCU | 18.80 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.65 billion current LCU | 21.10 billion current LCU | 55.60 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.40 billion current LCU | 47.62 billion current LCU | 89.09 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 121.81 billion current LCU | 87.60 billion current LCU | 162.09 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 207.68 billion current LCU | 163.96 billion current LCU | 247.45 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 283.04 billion current LCU | 226.33 billion current LCU | 364.86 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More public sector data for Cameroon
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.0705 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Cameroon?
- Military expenditure in Cameroon was 364.86 billion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 364.86 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.62 billion current LCU in 1970.
- How does Cameroon rank for military expenditure?
- Cameroon ranks 46th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 74.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)