Military spending as a share of GDP in Ghana
Ghana: Military spending as a share of GDP was 0.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.5%
Change on year
up 36.6%
World rank
155th
of 166 countries
All-time high
2.7%
in 1968
All-time low
0.3%
in 2002
Years of data
67
1958–2025
Military spending as a share of GDP in Ghana, 1958–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending as a share of gdp in Ghana is 0.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 36.6% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Ghana peaked at 2.7% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2002.
Ghana ranks 155th of 166 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending as a share of GDP in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 1.0% | — |
| 1959 | 1.0% | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 1.7% | +65.6% |
| 1961 | 2.1% | +23.2% |
| 1962 | 2.0% | -4.9% |
| 1963 | 2.0% | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 1.9% | -4.7% |
| 1965 | 1.7% | -9.9% |
| 1966 | 2.2% | +28.5% |
| 1968 | 2.7% | +19.3% |
| 1969 | 2.5% | -5.8% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | -15.3% |
| 1971 | 1.7% | -19.7% |
| 1972 | 1.4% | -16.0% |
| 1973 | 1.4% | -4.5% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | +15.9% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | +8.4% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -8.6% |
| 1977 | 1.3% | -20.0% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | -32.1% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | -24.1% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | +19.7% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -4.2% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -27.0% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -37.0% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | +73.9% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | +68.6% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | -10.0% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -50.9% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -35.8% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | +33.4% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +11.8% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -21.3% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | -14.5% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +16.2% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +33.0% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | -40.4% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | +16.7% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -6.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | +41.2% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | -20.6% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +14.5% |
| 2010 | 0.3% | -16.1% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | +53.9% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | +36.3% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -32.5% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +21.2% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -19.0% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -25.8% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | +17.8% |
| 2024 | 0.3% | -11.8% |
| 2025 | 0.5% | +36.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.4% | 0.6% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 152 Republic of Moldova 0.6% compare
- 153 Guatemala 0.5% compare
- 154 Ethiopia 0.5% compare
- 156 Malta 0.4% compare
- 157 Kazakhstan 0.4% compare
- 158 Sierra Leone 0.4% compare
More economy & growth data for Ghana
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.15 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 9.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.3476 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 840.84 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth 239.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth 280.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 25.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 2.67 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 8,702 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Ghana?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Ghana was 0.5% in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1968.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2002.
- How does Ghana rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Ghana ranks 155th out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total military expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.