Nigeria vs Zambia
Nigeria vs Zambia: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $1.76B in Nigeria and $343M in Zambia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Nigeria, by $1.41B, or 5.12 times that in Zambia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Nigeria has been higher since 1990, when it overtook Zambia.
- In 2025, Nigeria ranked 66 and Zambia ranked 109 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Nigeria | Zambia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.76B | $343M |
| 2024 | $1.14B | $349M |
| 2023 | $1.78B | $328M |
| 2022 | $1.48B | $269M |
| 2021 | $2.38B | $235M |
| 2020 | $1.52B | $256M |
| 2019 | $1.18B | $288M |
| 2018 | $1.29B | $330M |
| 2017 | $1.09B | $287M |
| 2016 | $1.14B | $295M |
| 2015 | $1.18B | $362M |
| 2014 | $1.21B | $338M |
| 2013 | $1.33B | $275M |
| 2012 | $1.39B | $255M |
| 2011 | $1.58B | $229M |
| 2010 | $1.41B | $218M |
| 2009 | $1.21B | $196M |
| 2008 | $1.16B | $208M |
| 2007 | $825M | $209M |
| 2006 | $711M | $184M |
| 2005 | $682M | $169M |
| 2004 | $772M | $151M |
| 2003 | $793M | – |
| 2002 | $1.29B | – |
| 2001 | $853M | – |
| 2000 | $599M | – |
| 1999 | $776M | $115M |
| 1998 | $458M | – |
| 1997 | $359M | $77.1M |
| 1996 | $334M | $77M |
| 1995 | $394M | $115M |
| 1994 | $342M | $137M |
| 1993 | $487M | $116M |
| 1992 | $360M | $240M |
| 1991 | $419M | $211M |
| 1990 | $437M | $316M |
| 1989 | $264M | $358M |
| 1988 | $389M | $248M |
| 1987 | $396M | $333M |
| 1986 | $494M | $369M |
| 1985 | $561M | $200M |
| 1984 | $574M | $248M |
| 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
Nigeria vs Zambia
Health
- Life expectancyNigeria: 54.5 years in 2023Zambia: 66.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024Zambia: 4.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zambia: 38.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionNigeria: 3.92% in 2017Zambia: 3.64% in 2017
- Suicide rateNigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017Zambia: 13.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNigeria: 228 million people in 2023Zambia: 20.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthNigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023Zambia: 2.83% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023Zambia: 4.1 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNigeria: 63.8% in 2025Zambia: 45.9% in 2025
- Median ageNigeria: 17.8 years in 2023Zambia: 17.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNigeria: 3% in 2023Zambia: 1.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateNigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Zambia: 0.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025Zambia: 1.26% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personNigeria: $9 in 2025Zambia: $19 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingNigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025Zambia: 4.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNigeria: 223,000 people in 2020Zambia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerNigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022Zambia: 0.1% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020Zambia: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025Zambia: 1 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsNigeria: 4 million TIV in 2022Zambia: 2 million TIV in 1990