Military expenditure (current USD) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Military expenditure (current USD) was 2.10 billion current USD in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.10 billion current USD
Change on year
up 85.2%
World rank
67th
of 168 countries
All-time high
4.45 billion current USD
in 2021
All-time low
23.38 million current USD
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Nigeria, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current USD.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Nigeria is 2.10 billion current USD, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 85.2% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Nigeria peaked at 4.45 billion current USD in 2021 and was at its lowest, 23.38 million current USD, in 1960.
Nigeria ranks 67th of 168 countries on this measure, 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 USD) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | current USD | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 23.38 million current USD | — |
| 1961 | 28.28 million current USD | +21.0% |
| 1962 | 38.64 million current USD | +36.6% |
| 1963 | 45.50 million current USD | +17.8% |
| 1964 | 54.32 million current USD | +19.4% |
| 1965 | 65.94 million current USD | +21.4% |
| 1966 | 55.72 million current USD | -15.5% |
| 1967 | 239.96 million current USD | +330.7% |
| 1968 | 369.04 million current USD | +53.8% |
| 1969 | 684.46 million current USD | +85.5% |
| 1970 | 662.34 million current USD | -3.2% |
| 1971 | 639.26 million current USD | -3.5% |
| 1972 | 904.10 million current USD | +41.4% |
| 1973 | 1.02 billion current USD | +12.8% |
| 1974 | 1.35 billion current USD | +32.4% |
| 1975 | 3.03 billion current USD | +124.1% |
| 1976 | 2.64 billion current USD | -12.7% |
| 1977 | 3.14 billion current USD | +18.7% |
| 1978 | 3.02 billion current USD | -3.7% |
| 1979 | 3.07 billion current USD | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 3.03 billion current USD | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 2.14 billion current USD | -29.5% |
| 1982 | 1.65 billion current USD | -22.6% |
| 1983 | 1.63 billion current USD | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 1.21 billion current USD | -25.6% |
| 1985 | 1.09 billion current USD | -9.8% |
| 1986 | 516.89 million current USD | -52.7% |
| 1987 | 201.69 million current USD | -61.0% |
| 1988 | 271.11 million current USD | +34.4% |
| 1989 | 170.71 million current USD | -37.0% |
| 1990 | 277.30 million current USD | +62.4% |
| 1991 | 243.71 million current USD | -12.1% |
| 1992 | 173.66 million current USD | -28.7% |
| 1993 | 289.23 million current USD | +66.6% |
| 1994 | 319.69 million current USD | +10.5% |
| 1995 | 639.41 million current USD | +100.0% |
| 1996 | 701.41 million current USD | +9.7% |
| 1997 | 818.78 million current USD | +16.7% |
| 1998 | 1.15 billion current USD | +40.4% |
| 1999 | 491.67 million current USD | -57.2% |
| 2000 | 368.64 million current USD | -25.0% |
| 2001 | 570.63 million current USD | +54.8% |
| 2002 | 896.91 million current USD | +57.2% |
| 2003 | 587.46 million current USD | -34.5% |
| 2004 | 639.99 million current USD | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 674.21 million current USD | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 776.15 million current USD | +15.1% |
| 2007 | 971.32 million current USD | +25.1% |
| 2008 | 1.62 billion current USD | +66.3% |
| 2009 | 1.50 billion current USD | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 1.99 billion current USD | +32.3% |
| 2011 | 2.38 billion current USD | +19.8% |
| 2012 | 2.32 billion current USD | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 2.42 billion current USD | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 2.36 billion current USD | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 2.07 billion current USD | -12.4% |
| 2016 | 1.75 billion current USD | -15.2% |
| 2017 | 1.62 billion current USD | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 2.14 billion current USD | +32.1% |
| 2019 | 2.18 billion current USD | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 2.72 billion current USD | +24.7% |
| 2021 | 4.45 billion current USD | +63.6% |
| 2022 | 3.09 billion current USD | -30.5% |
| 2023 | 3.06 billion current USD | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 1.13 billion current USD | -62.9% |
| 2025 | 2.10 billion current USD | +85.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 2.10 billion current USD is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 590.39 million current USD, 3.6× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 2.10 billion current USD is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 338.94 million current USD, 6.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current USD) in Nigeria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +330.7% | 55.72 million current USD | 239.96 million current USD |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 160.52 million current USD | 23.38 million current USD | 684.46 million current USD | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.95 billion current USD | 639.26 million current USD | 3.14 billion current USD | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.19 billion current USD | 170.71 million current USD | 3.03 billion current USD | 10 |
| 1990s | 510.45 million current USD | 173.66 million current USD | 1.15 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2000s | 860.53 million current USD | 368.64 million current USD | 1.62 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.12 billion current USD | 1.62 billion current USD | 2.42 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.76 billion current USD | 1.13 billion current USD | 4.45 billion current USD | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More public sector data for Nigeria
- 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 21.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.2879 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0003 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -27.96 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Nigeria?
- Military expenditure in Nigeria was 2.10 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 Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.45 billion current USD in 2021.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.38 million current USD in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for military expenditure?
- Nigeria ranks 67th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria 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)