Ghana vs Nigeria
Ghana vs Nigeria: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 2.4% of government spending in Ghana and 5.9% of government spending in Nigeria, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Nigeria, by 3.5 percentage points, or 2.46 times that in Ghana.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Nigeria has been higher since 2008, when it overtook Ghana.
- In 2025, Ghana ranked 129 and Nigeria ranked 58 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Ghana | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.4 | 5.9 |
| 2024 | 1.4 | 3.7 |
| 2023 | 2 | 6 |
| 2022 | 1.2 | 4.5 |
| 2021 | 1.4 | 8.1 |
| 2020 | 1.1 | 5.2 |
| 2019 | 1.5 | 3.7 |
| 2018 | 1.6 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1.8 | 3.6 |
| 2016 | 1.5 | 4.4 |
| 2015 | 2.1 | 3.8 |
| 2014 | 2.3 | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 1.9 | 3.3 |
| 2012 | 2.7 | 3.4 |
| 2011 | 2.2 | 3.3 |
| 2010 | 1.4 | 3.3 |
| 2009 | 1.9 | 3.3 |
| 2008 | 1.7 | 3.4 |
| 2007 | 2.1 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1.7 | 2.8 |
| 2005 | 1.9 | 2.2 |
| 2004 | 1.9 | 2.7 |
| 2003 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| 2002 | 2.3 | 4.9 |
| 2001 | 1.8 | 2.5 |
| 2000 | 3.4 | 2.2 |
| 1999 | 2.8 | – |
| 1998 | 2.6 | – |
| 1997 | 2.2 | – |
| 1996 | 2.1 | – |
| 1995 | 2.4 | – |
| 1994 | 2.2 | – |
| 1993 | 2.3 | – |
| 1992 | 2.6 | – |
| 1991 | 3.3 | – |
| 1990 | 2.6 | – |
| 1989 | 2.3 | – |
| 1988 | 2.3 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Ranks count the 150 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
Ghana vs Nigeria
Health
- Life expectancyGhana: 65.5 years in 2023Nigeria: 54.5 years in 2023
- Child mortalityGhana: 3.6 per 100 live births in 2024Nigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityGhana: 30.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterGhana: 44.5% in 2022Nigeria: 29% in 2022
- DepressionGhana: 3.4% in 2017Nigeria: 3.92% in 2017
- Suicide rateGhana: 9.7 per 100,000 people in 2017Nigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationGhana: 33.8 million people in 2023Nigeria: 228 million people in 2023
- Population growthGhana: 1.9% a year in 2023Nigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateGhana: 3.4 births per woman in 2023Nigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationGhana: 58.9% in 2025Nigeria: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageGhana: 20.9 years in 2023Nigeria: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overGhana: 3.6% in 2023Nigeria: 3% in 2023
- Net migration rateGhana: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Nigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingGhana: 0.48% of GDP in 2025Nigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsGhana: $385M in 2025Nigeria: $1.76B in 2025
- Military spending per personGhana: $15 in 2025Nigeria: $9 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelGhana: 16,000 people in 2020Nigeria: 223,000 people in 2020
- National powerGhana: 0.17% of world capability in 2022Nigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersGhana: 0.13% of the labour force in 2020Nigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsGhana: 5 million TIV in 2025Nigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsGhana: 19 million TIV in 2005Nigeria: 4 million TIV in 2022