Military expenditure in Africa Western and Central

Africa Western and Central: Military expenditure was 8.02 billion current USD in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
8.02 billion current USD
Change on year
down 15.0%
Rank
41st
of 42 groups
All-time high
9.71 billion current USD
in 2021
All-time low
65.73 million current USD
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024

Military expenditure in Africa Western and Central, 1961–2024

02.0B4.0B6.0B8.0B10.0B196119922024

Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current USD.

Analysis

In 2024, military expenditure in Africa Western and Central stood at 8.02 billion current USD.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.0% on the previous year and up 24.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military expenditure in Africa Western and Central peaked at 9.71 billion current USD in 2021 and was at its lowest, 65.73 million current USD, in 1961.

Africa Western and Central ranks 41st of 42 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 in Africa Western and Central, year by year

Annual values for Military expenditure (current USD) in Africa Western and Central, 1961 to 2024.
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 2.33 billion current USD -22.1%
1983 2.27 billion current USD -2.6%
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 959.30 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 1.96 billion current USD +9.1%
2005 2.02 billion current USD +3.0%
2006 2.34 billion current USD +16.3%
2007 2.95 billion current USD +25.7%
2008 4.42 billion current USD +50.0%
2009 4.30 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 -1.3%
2013 6.17 billion current USD +25.4%
2014 6.45 billion current USD +4.5%
2015 5.02 billion current USD -22.2%
2016 5.58 billion current USD +11.1%
2017 5.51 billion current USD -1.2%
2018 6.33 billion current USD +14.8%
2019 6.16 billion current USD -2.5%
2020 7.20 billion current USD +16.8%
2021 9.71 billion current USD +35.0%
2022 8.50 billion current USD -12.5%
2023 9.43 billion current USD +10.9%
2024 8.02 billion current USD -15.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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 1.93 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 959.30 million current USD 4.42 billion current USD 10
2010s 5.58 billion current USD 4.66 billion current USD 6.45 billion current USD 10
2020s 8.57 billion current USD 7.20 billion current USD 9.71 billion current USD 5

Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central

  1. 38 Switzerland 6.72 billion current USD compare
  2. 39 Czechia 6.52 billion current USD compare
  3. 40 Iraq 6.18 billion current USD compare
  4. 41 Philippines 6.12 billion current USD compare
  5. 42 Oman 5.99 billion current USD compare
  6. 43 Thailand 5.52 billion current USD compare
  7. 44 Morocco 5.52 billion current USD compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More public sector data for Africa Western and Central

All data for Africa Western and Central →

Frequently asked questions

What is military expenditure in Africa Western and Central?
Military expenditure in Africa Western and Central was 8.02 billion current USD in 2024, 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 9.71 billion current USD in 2021.
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 41st out of 42 groups with data for 2024.
Is military expenditure rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.2%. 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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Military expenditure in Africa Western and Central. Statizoid, drawing on SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/military-expenditure-current-usd/africa-western-and-central/

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About this data

Indicator
Military expenditure (current USD)
Unit
current USD
Source
SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
211 places, 10,601 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed

Military spending USD, in current prices (converted at the exchange rate for the given year)