Primary government expenditures as a proportion … Public Expenditure in Nigeria
Nigeria: Primary government expenditures as a proportion … Public Expenditure was 37.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved in Nigeria, 2008–2024
Source: Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA), World Bank (WB). Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved in Nigeria stood at 37.7%. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 59.3% on the previous year and down 56.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved in Nigeria peaked at 106.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 37.7%, in 2024.
That places Nigeria 165th out of 165 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Primary government expenditures as a proportion … Public Expenditure in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 90.4% | — |
| 2009 | 92.7% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 78.3% | -15.5% |
| 2011 | 95.9% | +22.5% |
| 2012 | 87.8% | -8.5% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 87.5% | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 105.1% | +20.1% |
| 2016 | 80.5% | -23.4% |
| 2017 | 87.4% | +8.7% |
| 2018 | 86.6% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 106.2% | +22.5% |
| 2020 | 98.7% | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 92.8% | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 37.7% | -59.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 37.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 96.7%, 39% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 37.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 96.5%, 39% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 91.6% | 90.4% | 92.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 90.7% | 78.3% | 106.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.4% | 37.7% | 98.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 162 Madagascar 60.6% compare
- 163 Afghanistan 48.7% compare
- 164 Cameroon 42.6% compare
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 primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved in Nigeria?
- Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved in Nigeria was 37.7% in 2024, according to Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA), World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 106.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.7% in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved?
- Nigeria ranks 165th out of 165 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA), World Bank (WB), published as part of Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget measures the extent to which aggregate budget expenditure outturn reflects the amount originally approved, as defined in government budget documentation and fiscal reports. The coverage is budgetary central government (BCG) and the time period covered is the last three completed fiscal years.