Military expenditure (current LCU) in Kenya
Kenya: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 190.01 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
190.01 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 12.2%
World rank
57th
of 168 countries
All-time high
190.01 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
13.30 million current LCU
in 1963
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Kenya, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Kenya stood at 190.01 billion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.2% on the previous year and up 129.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Kenya peaked at 190.01 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.30 million current LCU, in 1963.
That places Kenya 57th 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 18.50 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 6.40 million current LCU | -65.4% |
| 1962 | 4.80 million current LCU | -25.0% |
| 1963 | 13.30 million current LCU | +177.1% |
| 1964 | 42.00 million current LCU | +215.8% |
| 1965 | 70.70 million current LCU | +68.3% |
| 1966 | 93.20 million current LCU | +31.8% |
| 1967 | 114.20 million current LCU | +22.5% |
| 1968 | 116.90 million current LCU | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 112.50 million current LCU | -3.8% |
| 1970 | 121.60 million current LCU | +8.1% |
| 1971 | 157.70 million current LCU | +29.7% |
| 1972 | 212.40 million current LCU | +34.7% |
| 1973 | 262.00 million current LCU | +23.4% |
| 1974 | 333.65 million current LCU | +27.3% |
| 1975 | 397.20 million current LCU | +19.0% |
| 1976 | 635.15 million current LCU | +59.9% |
| 1977 | 1.22 billion current LCU | +92.6% |
| 1978 | 1.85 billion current LCU | +51.3% |
| 1979 | 2.18 billion current LCU | +17.5% |
| 1980 | 2.02 billion current LCU | -7.3% |
| 1981 | 2.18 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
| 1982 | 2.66 billion current LCU | +22.0% |
| 1983 | 2.78 billion current LCU | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 2.52 billion current LCU | -9.2% |
| 1985 | 2.40 billion current LCU | -5.0% |
| 1986 | 2.94 billion current LCU | +22.8% |
| 1987 | 4.11 billion current LCU | +39.8% |
| 1988 | 4.45 billion current LCU | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 4.70 billion current LCU | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 5.65 billion current LCU | +20.1% |
| 1991 | 5.28 billion current LCU | -6.5% |
| 1992 | 5.03 billion current LCU | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 6.13 billion current LCU | +22.0% |
| 1994 | 6.58 billion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 7.67 billion current LCU | +16.6% |
| 1996 | 9.76 billion current LCU | +27.2% |
| 1997 | 10.33 billion current LCU | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 10.38 billion current LCU | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 10.68 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 12.61 billion current LCU | +18.1% |
| 2001 | 15.35 billion current LCU | +21.7% |
| 2002 | 16.84 billion current LCU | +9.7% |
| 2003 | 18.68 billion current LCU | +10.9% |
| 2004 | 20.57 billion current LCU | +10.1% |
| 2005 | 23.94 billion current LCU | +16.4% |
| 2006 | 27.10 billion current LCU | +13.2% |
| 2007 | 33.30 billion current LCU | +22.9% |
| 2008 | 40.12 billion current LCU | +20.5% |
| 2009 | 44.72 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2010 | 49.29 billion current LCU | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 57.43 billion current LCU | +16.5% |
| 2012 | 71.01 billion current LCU | +23.6% |
| 2013 | 74.11 billion current LCU | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 72.01 billion current LCU | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 82.83 billion current LCU | +15.0% |
| 2016 | 94.72 billion current LCU | +14.4% |
| 2017 | 104.99 billion current LCU | +10.8% |
| 2018 | 112.77 billion current LCU | +7.4% |
| 2019 | 113.90 billion current LCU | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 118.77 billion current LCU | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 129.56 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 136.21 billion current LCU | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 147.37 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
| 2024 | 169.40 billion current LCU | +14.9% |
| 2025 | 190.01 billion current LCU | +12.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 190.01 billion current LCU is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 121.21 billion current LCU, 1.6× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 190.01 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 122.65 billion current LCU, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +215.8% | 13.30 million current LCU | 42.00 million current LCU |
| 1963 | +177.1% | 4.80 million current LCU | 13.30 million current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 59.25 million current LCU | 4.80 million current LCU | 116.90 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 736.92 million current LCU | 121.60 million current LCU | 2.18 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.08 billion current LCU | 2.02 billion current LCU | 4.70 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.75 billion current LCU | 5.03 billion current LCU | 10.68 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.32 billion current LCU | 12.61 billion current LCU | 44.72 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.31 billion current LCU | 49.29 billion current LCU | 113.90 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 148.55 billion current LCU | 118.77 billion current LCU | 190.01 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More public sector data for Kenya
- 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 117.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.3012 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -75 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Kenya?
- Military expenditure in Kenya was 190.01 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 190.01 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.30 million current LCU in 1963.
- How does Kenya rank for military expenditure?
- Kenya ranks 57th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 129.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)