Military expenditure (current USD) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Military expenditure (current USD) was 9.78 billion current USD in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
9.78 billion current USD
Change on year
up 18.7%
Rank
42nd
of 44 groups
All-time high
9.78 billion current USD
in 2025
All-time low
65.73 million current USD
in 1961
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Military expenditure in Africa Western and Central, 1961–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current USD.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Africa Western and Central stood at 9.78 billion current USD. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.7% on the previous year and up 94.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Africa Western and Central peaked at 9.78 billion current USD in 2025 and was at its lowest, 65.73 million current USD, in 1961.
Africa Western and Central ranks 42nd of 44 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current USD) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | current USD | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 65.73 million current USD | — |
| 1962 | 90.03 million current USD | +37.0% |
| 1963 | 100.57 million current USD | +11.7% |
| 1964 | 118.89 million current USD | +18.2% |
| 1965 | 145.63 million current USD | +22.5% |
| 1966 | 150.73 million current USD | +3.5% |
| 1967 | 279.40 million current USD | +85.4% |
| 1968 | 468.09 million current USD | +67.5% |
| 1969 | 792.20 million current USD | +69.2% |
| 1970 | 805.76 million current USD | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 798.40 million current USD | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 1.07 billion current USD | +34.5% |
| 1973 | 1.23 billion current USD | +14.2% |
| 1974 | 1.57 billion current USD | +28.0% |
| 1975 | 3.33 billion current USD | +111.9% |
| 1976 | 2.97 billion current USD | -10.6% |
| 1977 | 3.54 billion current USD | +19.0% |
| 1978 | 3.53 billion current USD | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 3.75 billion current USD | +6.2% |
| 1980 | 3.82 billion current USD | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 3.00 billion current USD | -21.6% |
| 1982 | 2.50 billion current USD | -16.4% |
| 1983 | 2.27 billion current USD | -9.3% |
| 1984 | 1.83 billion current USD | -19.3% |
| 1985 | 1.78 billion current USD | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 1.33 billion current USD | -25.6% |
| 1987 | 1.03 billion current USD | -22.0% |
| 1988 | 1.03 billion current USD | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 869.62 million current USD | -15.5% |
| 1990 | 1.06 billion current USD | +21.7% |
| 1991 | 1.02 billion current USD | -3.8% |
| 1992 | 1.12 billion current USD | +10.2% |
| 1993 | 1.22 billion current USD | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 889.42 million current USD | -27.3% |
| 1995 | 1.11 billion current USD | +25.3% |
| 1996 | 1.24 billion current USD | +11.5% |
| 1997 | 1.37 billion current USD | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 1.63 billion current USD | +19.4% |
| 1999 | 1.03 billion current USD | -36.5% |
| 2000 | 959.34 million current USD | -7.3% |
| 2001 | 1.27 billion current USD | +32.3% |
| 2002 | 1.68 billion current USD | +32.2% |
| 2003 | 1.79 billion current USD | +6.9% |
| 2004 | 1.95 billion current USD | +9.0% |
| 2005 | 2.02 billion current USD | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 2.34 billion current USD | +16.2% |
| 2007 | 2.95 billion current USD | +25.7% |
| 2008 | 4.42 billion current USD | +50.0% |
| 2009 | 4.31 billion current USD | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 4.66 billion current USD | +8.2% |
| 2011 | 4.99 billion current USD | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 4.92 billion current USD | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 6.17 billion current USD | +25.5% |
| 2014 | 6.46 billion current USD | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 5.02 billion current USD | -22.4% |
| 2016 | 5.61 billion current USD | +11.8% |
| 2017 | 5.51 billion current USD | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 6.41 billion current USD | +16.4% |
| 2019 | 6.48 billion current USD | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 7.35 billion current USD | +13.4% |
| 2021 | 9.70 billion current USD | +31.9% |
| 2022 | 8.50 billion current USD | -12.4% |
| 2023 | 9.40 billion current USD | +10.6% |
| 2024 | 8.24 billion current USD | -12.4% |
| 2025 | 9.78 billion current USD | +18.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current USD) in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +111.9% | 1.57 billion current USD | 3.33 billion current USD |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 245.70 million current USD | 65.73 million current USD | 792.20 million current USD | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.26 billion current USD | 798.40 million current USD | 3.75 billion current USD | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.95 billion current USD | 869.62 million current USD | 3.82 billion current USD | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.17 billion current USD | 889.42 million current USD | 1.63 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.37 billion current USD | 959.34 million current USD | 4.42 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.62 billion current USD | 4.66 billion current USD | 6.48 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.83 billion current USD | 7.35 billion current USD | 9.78 billion current USD | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 39 Iran 7.40 billion current USD compare
- 40 Czechia 7.05 billion current USD compare
- 41 Iraq 6.45 billion current USD compare
- 42 Philippines 6.38 billion current USD compare
- 43 Austria 6.35 billion current USD compare
- 44 Morocco 6.33 billion current USD compare
- 45 Oman 5.99 billion current USD compare
More public sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Arms imports 163.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.6914 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0005 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -36.28 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 360.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 15.4 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0109 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -14.98 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 8.02 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 62.46 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Africa Western and Central?
- Military expenditure in Africa Western and Central was 9.78 billion current USD in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 9.78 billion current USD in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.73 million current USD in 1961.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for military expenditure?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 42nd out of 44 groups with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current USD). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military spending USD, in current prices (converted at the exchange rate for the given year)