Military expenditure in Nigeria
Nigeria: Military expenditure was 1.13 billion current USD in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.13 billion current USD
Change on year
down 63.5%
World rank
83rd
of 168 countries
All-time high
4.47 billion current USD
in 2021
All-time low
23.38 million current USD
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Military expenditure in Nigeria, 1960–2024
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 1.13 billion current USD, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 63.5% on the previous year and down 51.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Nigeria peaked at 4.47 billion current USD in 2021 and was at its lowest, 23.38 million current USD, in 1960.
Nigeria ranks 83rd 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 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 | 1.72 billion current USD | -16.6% |
| 2017 | 1.62 billion current USD | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 2.04 billion current USD | +26.0% |
| 2019 | 1.86 billion current USD | -8.9% |
| 2020 | 2.57 billion current USD | +38.0% |
| 2021 | 4.47 billion current USD | +73.9% |
| 2022 | 3.11 billion current USD | -30.4% |
| 2023 | 3.10 billion current USD | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 1.13 billion current USD | -63.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1.13 billion current USD is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 493.99 million current USD, 2.3× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1.13 billion current USD is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 293.92 million current USD, 3.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure 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 | 2.08 billion current USD | 1.62 billion current USD | 2.42 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.88 billion current USD | 1.13 billion current USD | 4.47 billion current USD | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 80 Tunisia 1.31 billion current USD compare
- 81 Kenya 1.23 billion current USD compare
- 82 Kazakhstan 1.21 billion current USD compare
- 84 Uganda 1.12 billion current USD compare
- 85 Burkina Faso 1.02 billion current USD compare
- 86 Dominican Republic 980.99 million current USD compare
More public sector data for Nigeria
- Democracy, 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)
- Elected parliament, 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)
- Democracy 3 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Nigeria?
- Military expenditure in Nigeria was 1.13 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 Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.47 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 83rd out of 168 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.9%. 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Military spending USD, in current prices (converted at the exchange rate for the given year)