Military expenditure (current LCU) in Uganda
Uganda: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 4.67 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
4.67 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 11.4%
World rank
18th
of 168 countries
All-time high
4.67 trillion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
52,000 current LCU
in 1962
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Military expenditure in Uganda, 1961–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Uganda stood at 4.67 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of up 11.4% on the previous year and up 370.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Uganda peaked at 4.67 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 52,000 current LCU, in 1962.
That places Uganda 18th out of 168 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Uganda, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10,000 current LCU | — |
| 1962 | 52,000 current LCU | +420.0% |
| 1963 | 195,000 current LCU | +275.0% |
| 1964 | 392,000 current LCU | +101.0% |
| 1965 | 767,000 current LCU | +95.7% |
| 1966 | 1.02 million current LCU | +32.9% |
| 1967 | 1.20 million current LCU | +18.1% |
| 1968 | 1.42 million current LCU | +18.4% |
| 1969 | 1.63 million current LCU | +14.6% |
| 1970 | 1.90 million current LCU | +16.5% |
| 1971 | 3.76 million current LCU | +97.9% |
| 1972 | 4.64 million current LCU | +23.3% |
| 1973 | 4.55 million current LCU | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 5.72 million current LCU | +25.6% |
| 1975 | 6.42 million current LCU | +12.3% |
| 1976 | 8.36 million current LCU | +30.0% |
| 1977 | 10.89 million current LCU | +30.4% |
| 1978 | 11.73 million current LCU | +7.7% |
| 1979 | 15.47 million current LCU | +31.9% |
| 1980 | 29.58 million current LCU | +91.1% |
| 1981 | 54.13 million current LCU | +83.0% |
| 1982 | 82.28 million current LCU | +52.0% |
| 1983 | 144.21 million current LCU | +75.3% |
| 1984 | 270.55 million current LCU | +87.6% |
| 1985 | 704.40 million current LCU | +160.4% |
| 1986 | 1.83 billion current LCU | +160.5% |
| 1987 | 5.61 billion current LCU | +205.8% |
| 1988 | 14.96 billion current LCU | +166.5% |
| 1989 | 31.19 billion current LCU | +108.6% |
| 1990 | 45.89 billion current LCU | +47.1% |
| 1991 | 53.99 billion current LCU | +17.7% |
| 1992 | 59.33 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 74.85 billion current LCU | +26.2% |
| 1994 | 101.99 billion current LCU | +36.3% |
| 1995 | 123.06 billion current LCU | +20.7% |
| 1996 | 141.63 billion current LCU | +15.1% |
| 1997 | 151.21 billion current LCU | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 191.89 billion current LCU | +26.9% |
| 1999 | 232.34 billion current LCU | +21.1% |
| 2000 | 232.37 billion current LCU | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 239.05 billion current LCU | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 255.60 billion current LCU | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 299.23 billion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 2004 | 354.85 billion current LCU | +18.6% |
| 2005 | 385.81 billion current LCU | +8.7% |
| 2006 | 400.23 billion current LCU | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 434.52 billion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 2008 | 536.53 billion current LCU | +23.5% |
| 2009 | 596.00 billion current LCU | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 1.33 trillion current LCU | +122.4% |
| 2011 | 1.53 trillion current LCU | +15.6% |
| 2012 | 881.20 billion current LCU | -42.5% |
| 2013 | 776.26 billion current LCU | -11.9% |
| 2014 | 846.65 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 2015 | 992.09 billion current LCU | +17.2% |
| 2016 | 1.09 trillion current LCU | +9.7% |
| 2017 | 1.25 trillion current LCU | +15.0% |
| 2018 | 1.52 trillion current LCU | +21.6% |
| 2019 | 2.40 trillion current LCU | +57.6% |
| 2020 | 3.66 trillion current LCU | +52.5% |
| 2021 | 3.81 trillion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 3.41 trillion current LCU | -10.3% |
| 2023 | 3.63 trillion current LCU | +6.5% |
| 2024 | 4.20 trillion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 2025 | 4.67 trillion current LCU | +11.4% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 4.67 trillion current LCU is above the median for low income countries, which is 216.60 billion current LCU, 21.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 4.67 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 122.65 billion current LCU, 38.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) in Uganda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +420.0% | 10,000 current LCU | 52,000 current LCU |
| 1963 | +275.0% | 52,000 current LCU | 195,000 current LCU |
| 1987 | +205.8% | 1.83 billion current LCU | 5.61 billion current LCU |
| 1988 | +166.5% | 5.61 billion current LCU | 14.96 billion current LCU |
| 1985 | +160.4% | 270.55 million current LCU | 704.40 million current LCU |
| 1986 | +160.5% | 704.40 million current LCU | 1.83 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 743,944 current LCU | 10,000 current LCU | 1.63 million current LCU | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.35 million current LCU | 1.90 million current LCU | 15.47 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.49 billion current LCU | 29.58 million current LCU | 31.19 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 117.62 billion current LCU | 45.89 billion current LCU | 232.34 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 373.42 billion current LCU | 232.37 billion current LCU | 596.00 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.26 trillion current LCU | 776.26 billion current LCU | 2.40 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.90 trillion current LCU | 3.41 trillion current LCU | 4.67 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More public sector data for Uganda
- 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 (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.3288 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0003 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -75.38 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Uganda?
- Military expenditure in Uganda was 4.67 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 4.67 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 52,000 current LCU in 1962.
- How does Uganda rank for military expenditure?
- Uganda ranks 18th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 370.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda 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 — 65 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)