Military spending as a share of GDP in Nigeria
Nigeria: Military spending as a share of GDP was 0.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.9%
Change on year
up 63.7%
World rank
129th
of 166 countries
All-time high
10.3%
in 1969
All-time low
0.3%
in 2006
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military spending as a share of GDP in Nigeria, 1960–2025
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 Nigeria is 0.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 63.7% on the previous year and up 117.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in Nigeria peaked at 10.3% in 1969 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2006.
That places Nigeria 129th out of 166 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.7% | — |
| 1961 | 0.8% | +22.1% |
| 1962 | 1.1% | +29.1% |
| 1963 | 1.1% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 1.2% | +11.8% |
| 1965 | 1.4% | +13.6% |
| 1966 | 1.1% | -21.4% |
| 1967 | 5.8% | +427.5% |
| 1968 | 9.2% | +57.7% |
| 1969 | 10.3% | +12.6% |
| 1970 | 5.3% | -48.8% |
| 1971 | 4.4% | -16.8% |
| 1972 | 5.4% | +22.7% |
| 1973 | 5.5% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 4.3% | -20.7% |
| 1975 | 8.1% | +87.0% |
| 1976 | 5.8% | -28.7% |
| 1977 | 6.0% | +4.0% |
| 1978 | 5.3% | -11.6% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | -18.8% |
| 1980 | 3.3% | -23.8% |
| 1981 | 2.8% | -15.9% |
| 1982 | 2.3% | -18.2% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | -29.9% |
| 1985 | 1.4% | -7.7% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -8.7% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | -41.3% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +14.9% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | -34.4% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | +43.7% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | -27.1% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | +65.5% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | -16.3% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | -38.1% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -16.0% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | +7.3% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | +25.8% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | +56.0% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -36.5% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | +43.6% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | +22.3% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | -40.2% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -14.0% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -19.1% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -12.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | +32.1% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | +7.4% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -12.9% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | -11.7% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | +17.7% |
| 2019 | 0.5% | -9.4% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | +37.6% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | +60.2% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | -35.8% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | +29.6% |
| 2024 | 0.6% | -34.1% |
| 2025 | 0.9% | +63.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.3% | 0.7% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.4% | 4.3% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 0.6% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 126 Nepal 1.0% compare
- 127 Trinidad and Tobago 0.9% compare
- 128 Sudan 0.9% compare
- 130 Equatorial Guinea 0.9% compare
- 131 Benin 0.9% compare
- 132 Guinea-Bissau 0.9% compare
More economy & growth data for Nigeria
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.32 Percent per annum (2029)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 5.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 348.91 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 427,154 current LCU per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 2.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.4555 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 557.59 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU) 2.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU), per 209.92 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in Nigeria?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in Nigeria was 0.9% 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 Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 10.3% in 1969.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2006.
- How does Nigeria rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- Nigeria ranks 129th out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 117.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria 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.