China vs Nigeria
China vs Nigeria: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $1.76B in Nigeria, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $333B, or 190 times that in Nigeria.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1989.
- In 2025, China ranked 2 and Nigeria ranked 66 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $1.76B |
| 2024 | $312B | $1.14B |
| 2023 | $292B | $1.78B |
| 2022 | $274B | $1.48B |
| 2021 | $263B | $2.38B |
| 2020 | $256B | $1.52B |
| 2019 | $244B | $1.18B |
| 2018 | $233B | $1.29B |
| 2017 | $220B | $1.09B |
| 2016 | $207B | $1.14B |
| 2015 | $196B | $1.18B |
| 2014 | $182B | $1.21B |
| 2013 | $168B | $1.33B |
| 2012 | $156B | $1.39B |
| 2011 | $141B | $1.58B |
| 2010 | $132B | $1.41B |
| 2009 | $125B | $1.21B |
| 2008 | $103B | $1.16B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $825M |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $711M |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $682M |
| 2004 | $68B | $772M |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $793M |
| 2002 | $57B | $1.29B |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $853M |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $599M |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $776M |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $458M |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $359M |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $334M |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $394M |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $342M |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $487M |
| 1992 | $28B | $360M |
| 1991 | $23B | $419M |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $437M |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $264M |
| 1988 | – | $389M |
| 1987 | – | $396M |
| 1986 | – | $494M |
| 1985 | – | $561M |
| 1984 | – | $574M |
| 1983 | – | $859M |
| 1982 | – | $998M |
| 1981 | – | $1.28B |
| 1980 | – | $1.93B |
| 1979 | – | $2.38B |
| 1978 | – | $2.75B |
| 1977 | – | $3.53B |
| 1976 | – | $3.33B |
| 1975 | – | $4.66B |
| 1974 | – | $2.85B |
| 1973 | – | $2.53B |
| 1972 | – | $2.36B |
| 1971 | – | $1.87B |
| 1970 | – | $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
China vs Nigeria
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Nigeria: 54.5 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Nigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Nigeria: 3.92% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Nigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Nigeria: 228 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Nigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Nigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Nigeria: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Nigeria: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Nigeria: 3% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Nigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Nigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Nigeria: $9 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Nigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Nigeria: 223,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Nigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Nigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Nigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Nigeria: 4 million TIV in 2022