Cameroon vs Nigeria
Cameroon vs Nigeria: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $580M in Cameroon and $1.76B in Nigeria, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Nigeria, by $1.18B, or 3.03 times that in Cameroon.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Nigeria has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1970.
- In 2025, Cameroon ranked 96 and Nigeria ranked 66 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Cameroon | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $580M | $1.76B |
| 2024 | $535M | $1.14B |
| 2023 | $477M | $1.78B |
| 2022 | $481M | $1.48B |
| 2021 | $484M | $2.38B |
| 2020 | $455M | $1.52B |
| 2019 | $510M | $1.18B |
| 2018 | $504M | $1.29B |
| 2017 | $509M | $1.09B |
| 2016 | $493M | $1.14B |
| 2015 | $453M | $1.18B |
| 2014 | $442M | $1.21B |
| 2013 | $440M | $1.33B |
| 2012 | $418M | $1.39B |
| 2011 | $389M | $1.58B |
| 2010 | $429M | $1.41B |
| 2009 | $401M | $1.21B |
| 2008 | $396M | $1.16B |
| 2007 | $382M | $825M |
| 2006 | $364M | $711M |
| 2005 | $336M | $682M |
| 2004 | $340M | $772M |
| 2003 | $319M | $793M |
| 2002 | $298M | $1.29B |
| 2001 | $275M | $853M |
| 2000 | $276M | $599M |
| 1999 | $284M | $776M |
| 1998 | $263M | $458M |
| 1997 | $232M | $359M |
| 1996 | $210M | $334M |
| 1995 | $207M | $394M |
| 1994 | $209M | $342M |
| 1993 | $256M | $487M |
| 1992 | $253M | $360M |
| 1991 | $262M | $419M |
| 1990 | $256M | $437M |
| 1989 | $247M | $264M |
| 1988 | $238M | $389M |
| 1987 | $258M | $396M |
| 1986 | $300M | $494M |
| 1985 | $335M | $561M |
| 1984 | $387M | $574M |
| 1983 | $384M | $859M |
| 1982 | $391M | $998M |
| 1981 | $335M | $1.28B |
| 1980 | $239M | $1.93B |
| 1979 | $234M | $2.38B |
| 1978 | $214M | $2.75B |
| 1977 | $202M | $3.53B |
| 1976 | $198M | $3.33B |
| 1975 | $188M | $4.66B |
| 1974 | $178M | $2.85B |
| 1973 | $176M | $2.53B |
| 1972 | $173M | $2.36B |
| 1971 | $177M | $1.87B |
| 1970 | $175M | $2.26B |
| 1969 | – | $2.65B |
| 1968 | – | $1.58B |
| 1967 | – | $1.02B |
| 1966 | – | $228M |
| 1965 | – | $296M |
| 1964 | – | $254M |
| 1963 | – | $214M |
| 1962 | – | $177M |
| 1961 | – | $136M |
| 1960 | – | $120M |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Cameroon vs Nigeria
Health
- Life expectancyCameroon: 63.7 years in 2023Nigeria: 54.5 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCameroon: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024Nigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCameroon: 47.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionCameroon: 3.75% in 2017Nigeria: 3.92% in 2017
- Suicide rateCameroon: 14 per 100,000 people in 2017Nigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCameroon: 28.4 million people in 2023Nigeria: 228 million people in 2023
- Population growthCameroon: 2.64% a year in 2023Nigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCameroon: 4.32 births per woman in 2023Nigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCameroon: 55.7% in 2025Nigeria: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageCameroon: 17.8 years in 2023Nigeria: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overCameroon: 2.8% in 2023Nigeria: 3% in 2023
- Net migration rateCameroon: -0.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Nigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingCameroon: 1.06% of GDP in 2025Nigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personCameroon: $21 in 2025Nigeria: $9 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingCameroon: 6.5% of government spending in 2025Nigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelCameroon: 34,000 people in 2020Nigeria: 223,000 people in 2020
- National powerCameroon: 0.16% of world capability in 2022Nigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCameroon: 0.34% of the labour force in 2020Nigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCameroon: 2 million TIV in 2023Nigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025