Niger vs South Africa
Niger vs South Africa: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 15.2% of government spending in Niger and 2.2% of government spending in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Niger, by 13 percentage points, or 6.92 times that in South Africa.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Niger has been higher since 2008, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, Niger ranked 14 and South Africa ranked 135 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Niger | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15.2 | 2.2 |
| 2024 | 16.4 | 2.3 |
| 2023 | 12.5 | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 7.3 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 5.6 | 2.6 |
| 2020 | 7.7 | 2.8 |
| 2019 | 8.9 | 2.8 |
| 2018 | 8.5 | 3 |
| 2017 | 9.3 | 3.2 |
| 2016 | 8.3 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | – | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 5.7 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 5.1 | 3.6 |
| 2012 | 9.5 | 3.6 |
| 2011 | 6.3 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 6 | 3.5 |
| 2009 | 4.1 | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 4.4 | 4 |
| 2007 | – | 4.3 |
| 2006 | – | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| 2004 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 5.2 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 5.2 | 6.2 |
| 2001 | 7.4 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 6.7 | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 6.2 | – |
| 1998 | 6.1 | – |
| 1997 | 5.9 | – |
| 1996 | 6.7 | – |
| 1995 | 6.4 | – |
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
Niger vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyNiger: 61.2 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNiger: 11.1 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNiger: 64.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionNiger: 3.46% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateNiger: 7.6 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNiger: 26.2 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthNiger: 3.31% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNiger: 6.06 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNiger: 18.4% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageNiger: 15.3 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNiger: 2.6% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateNiger: 0 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNiger: 2.14% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsNiger: $450M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personNiger: $18 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNiger: 10,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerNiger: 0.11% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNiger: 0.11% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNiger: 4 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsNiger: 0 TIV in 1973South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025