Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Kenya
Kenya: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Kenya, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Kenya stood at 1.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.8% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Kenya peaked at 5.5% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1963.
Kenya ranks 119th of 167 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 (% of GDP) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.3% | — |
| 1961 | 0.1% | -65.5% |
| 1962 | 0.1% | -31.6% |
| 1963 | 0.2% | +167.1% |
| 1964 | 0.6% | +185.7% |
| 1965 | 1.0% | +67.9% |
| 1966 | 1.1% | +14.4% |
| 1967 | 1.3% | +15.2% |
| 1968 | 1.2% | -6.6% |
| 1969 | 1.1% | -11.3% |
| 1970 | 1.1% | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 1.2% | +16.1% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | +25.6% |
| 1973 | 1.7% | +7.6% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 2.5% | +32.2% |
| 1977 | 3.7% | +50.5% |
| 1978 | 5.2% | +39.0% |
| 1979 | 5.5% | +5.8% |
| 1980 | 4.5% | -17.9% |
| 1981 | 4.2% | -6.4% |
| 1982 | 4.6% | +8.2% |
| 1983 | 4.2% | -8.3% |
| 1984 | 3.5% | -17.1% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | -31.7% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | +5.4% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | +25.2% |
| 1988 | 2.9% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | -6.9% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 2.4% | -18.5% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | -19.3% |
| 1993 | 1.8% | -3.3% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | -10.7% |
| 1995 | 1.6% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | -13.9% |
| 1997 | 1.3% | -5.5% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -9.0% |
| 1999 | 1.2% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | +10.7% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | +14.5% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | +8.5% |
| 2003 | 1.7% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | -15.5% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | +8.0% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -14.0% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | +6.5% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | +2.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.5%, 73% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.3%, 82% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +185.7% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| 1963 | +167.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1965 | +67.9% | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| 1961 | -65.5% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.6% | 1.1% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.5% | 2.4% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More public sector data for Kenya
- 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 117.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.3012 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -75 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Kenya?
- Military expenditure in Kenya was 1.1% in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 1979.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1963.
- How does Kenya rank for military expenditure?
- Kenya ranks 119th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product