Nigeria
Military share of state spending in Nigeria
Military share of state spending in Nigeria: 2.2% of government spending in 2000 and 5.9% of government spending in 2025, by SIPRI estimates.
- Latest, 2025
- 5.9% of government spending
- Since 2000
- +3.7 percentage points
- Rank, 2025
- 58 of 150
- counting from the highest
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- The highest was 8.1% of government spending in 2021, the lowest 2% of government spending in 2007.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Nigeria |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.9 |
| 2024 | 3.7 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2022 | 4.5 |
| 2021 | 8.1 |
| 2020 | 5.2 |
| 2019 | 3.7 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2017 | 3.6 |
| 2016 | 4.4 |
| 2015 | 3.8 |
| 2014 | 3.1 |
| 2013 | 3.3 |
| 2012 | 3.4 |
| 2011 | 3.3 |
| 2010 | 3.3 |
| 2009 | 3.3 |
| 2008 | 3.4 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2006 | 2.8 |
| 2005 | 2.2 |
| 2004 | 2.7 |
| 2003 | 2.5 |
| 2002 | 4.9 |
| 2001 | 2.5 |
| 2000 | 2.2 |
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
Nigeria in numbers
Every measure for Nigeria on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending0.91% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollars$1.76B in 2025
- Military spending per person$9 in 2025
- Armed forces personnel223,000 people in 2020
- National power1.16% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers0.23% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports21 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports4 million TIV in 2022