Nigeria vs South Africa
Nigeria vs South Africa: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $1.76B in Nigeria and $3B in South Africa, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by $1.24B, or 1.71 times that in Nigeria.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 1976, when it overtook Nigeria.
- In 2025, Nigeria ranked 66 and South Africa ranked 53 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Nigeria | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.76B | $3B |
| 2024 | $1.14B | $3.03B |
| 2023 | $1.78B | $3.21B |
| 2022 | $1.48B | $3.42B |
| 2021 | $2.38B | $3.39B |
| 2020 | $1.52B | $3.6B |
| 2019 | $1.18B | $3.47B |
| 2018 | $1.29B | $3.49B |
| 2017 | $1.09B | $3.64B |
| 2016 | $1.14B | $3.69B |
| 2015 | $1.18B | $3.79B |
| 2014 | $1.21B | $3.76B |
| 2013 | $1.33B | $3.76B |
| 2012 | $1.39B | $3.68B |
| 2011 | $1.58B | $3.53B |
| 2010 | $1.41B | $3.4B |
| 2009 | $1.21B | $3.52B |
| 2008 | $1.16B | $3.36B |
| 2007 | $825M | $3.38B |
| 2006 | $711M | $3.43B |
| 2005 | $682M | $3.39B |
| 2004 | $772M | $3.05B |
| 2003 | $793M | $2.95B |
| 2002 | $1.29B | $2.98B |
| 2001 | $853M | $2.72B |
| 2000 | $599M | $2.43B |
| 1999 | $776M | $2.07B |
| 1998 | $458M | $2.16B |
| 1997 | $359M | $2.44B |
| 1996 | $334M | $2.65B |
| 1995 | $394M | $3.05B |
| 1994 | $342M | $3.43B |
| 1993 | $487M | $3.22B |
| 1992 | $360M | $3.48B |
| 1991 | $419M | $4.04B |
| 1990 | $437M | $4.92B |
| 1989 | $264M | $5.46B |
| 1988 | $389M | $5.54B |
| 1987 | $396M | $4.72B |
| 1986 | $494M | $4.27B |
| 1985 | $561M | $4.19B |
| 1984 | $574M | $4.22B |
| 1983 | $859M | $3.92B |
| 1982 | $998M | $3.86B |
| 1981 | $1.28B | $3.92B |
| 1980 | $1.93B | $3.54B |
| 1979 | $2.38B | $3.54B |
| 1978 | $2.75B | $3.96B |
| 1977 | $3.53B | $4.41B |
| 1976 | $3.33B | $3.97B |
| 1975 | $4.66B | $3.2B |
| 1974 | $2.85B | $2.55B |
| 1973 | $2.53B | $1.98B |
| 1972 | $2.36B | $1.57B |
| 1971 | $1.87B | $1.54B |
| 1970 | $2.26B | $1.4B |
| 1969 | $2.65B | $1.48B |
| 1968 | $1.58B | $1.44B |
| 1967 | $1.02B | $1.37B |
| 1966 | $228M | $1.23B |
| 1965 | $296M | $1.14B |
| 1964 | $254M | $1.11B |
| 1963 | $214M | $791M |
| 1962 | $177M | $790M |
| 1961 | $136M | $489M |
| 1960 | $120M | $307M |
| 1959 | – | $269M |
| 1958 | – | $286M |
| 1957 | – | $381M |
| 1956 | – | $264M |
| 1955 | – | $235M |
| 1954 | – | $227M |
| 1953 | – | $242M |
| 1952 | – | $284M |
| 1951 | – | $268M |
- 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
Nigeria vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyNigeria: 54.5 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionNigeria: 3.92% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateNigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNigeria: 228 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthNigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNigeria: 63.8% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageNigeria: 17.8 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNigeria: 3% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateNigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personNigeria: $9 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingNigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNigeria: 223,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerNigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsNigeria: 4 million TIV in 2022South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025