Ethiopia vs Nigeria
Ethiopia vs Nigeria: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $785M in Ethiopia and $1.76B in Nigeria, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Nigeria, by $971M, or 2.24 times that in Ethiopia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Nigeria has been higher since 2007, when it overtook Ethiopia.
- In 2025, Ethiopia ranked 85 and Nigeria ranked 66 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Ethiopia | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $785M | $1.76B |
| 2024 | $700M | $1.14B |
| 2023 | $982M | $1.78B |
| 2022 | $1.01B | $1.48B |
| 2021 | $492M | $2.38B |
| 2020 | $510M | $1.52B |
| 2019 | $585M | $1.18B |
| 2018 | $628M | $1.29B |
| 2017 | $636M | $1.09B |
| 2016 | $610M | $1.14B |
| 2015 | $531M | $1.18B |
| 2014 | $515M | $1.21B |
| 2013 | $497M | $1.33B |
| 2012 | $496M | $1.39B |
| 2011 | $515M | $1.58B |
| 2010 | $528M | $1.41B |
| 2009 | $544M | $1.21B |
| 2008 | $553M | $1.16B |
| 2007 | $693M | $825M |
| 2006 | $751M | $711M |
| 2005 | $832M | $682M |
| 2004 | $829M | $772M |
| 2003 | $764M | $793M |
| 2002 | $897M | $1.29B |
| 2001 | $1.08B | $853M |
| 2000 | $1.7B | $599M |
| 1999 | $1.88B | $776M |
| 1998 | $1.19B | $458M |
| 1997 | $555M | $359M |
| 1996 | $302M | $334M |
| 1995 | $259M | $394M |
| 1994 | $307M | $342M |
| 1993 | $334M | $487M |
| 1992 | $302M | $360M |
| 1991 | $510M | $419M |
| 1990 | $1.03B | $437M |
| 1989 | $1.08B | $264M |
| 1988 | $912M | $389M |
| 1987 | $757M | $396M |
| 1986 | $681M | $494M |
| 1985 | $600M | $561M |
| 1984 | $704M | $574M |
| 1983 | $737M | $859M |
| 1982 | $694M | $998M |
| 1981 | $697M | $1.28B |
| 1980 | $724M | $1.93B |
| 1979 | $582M | $2.38B |
| 1978 | $435M | $2.75B |
| 1977 | $377M | $3.53B |
| 1976 | $417M | $3.33B |
| 1975 | $524M | $4.66B |
| 1974 | $334M | $2.85B |
| 1973 | $238M | $2.53B |
| 1972 | $241M | $2.36B |
| 1971 | $216M | $1.87B |
| 1970 | $208M | $2.26B |
| 1969 | $228M | $2.65B |
| 1968 | $233M | $1.58B |
| 1967 | $249M | $1.02B |
| 1966 | $295M | $228M |
| 1965 | $287M | $296M |
| 1964 | – | $254M |
| 1963 | – | $214M |
| 1962 | – | $177M |
| 1961 | – | $136M |
| 1960 | – | $120M |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
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
Ethiopia vs Nigeria
Health
- Life expectancyEthiopia: 67.3 years in 2023Nigeria: 54.5 years in 2023
- Child mortalityEthiopia: 4.5 per 100 live births in 2024Nigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityEthiopia: 33 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterEthiopia: 13.2% in 2022Nigeria: 29% in 2022
- DepressionEthiopia: 3.82% in 2017Nigeria: 3.92% in 2017
- Suicide rateEthiopia: 9.6 per 100,000 people in 2017Nigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationEthiopia: 129 million people in 2023Nigeria: 228 million people in 2023
- Population growthEthiopia: 2.59% a year in 2023Nigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateEthiopia: 3.99 births per woman in 2023Nigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationEthiopia: 24.1% in 2025Nigeria: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageEthiopia: 18.7 years in 2023Nigeria: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overEthiopia: 3.2% in 2023Nigeria: 3% in 2023
- Net migration rateEthiopia: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023Nigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingEthiopia: 0.49% of GDP in 2025Nigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personEthiopia: $4 in 2025Nigeria: $9 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingEthiopia: 4.1% of government spending in 2025Nigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelEthiopia: 138,000 people in 2020Nigeria: 223,000 people in 2020
- National powerEthiopia: 0.85% of world capability in 2022Nigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersEthiopia: 0.28% of the labour force in 2020Nigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsEthiopia: 63 million TIV in 2025Nigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsEthiopia: 17 million TIV in 1997Nigeria: 4 million TIV in 2022