Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Ghana
Ghana: Military expenditure as a share of government spending was 2.4 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2.4
Change on year
up 67.8%
World rank
140th
of 162 countries
All-time high
3.44
in 2000
All-time low
1.11
in 2020
Years of data
38
1988–2025
Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Ghana, 1988–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure as a share of government spending in Ghana stood at 2.4.
That represents a change of up 67.8% on the previous year and up 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure as a share of government spending in Ghana peaked at 3.44 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.11, in 2020.
Ghana ranks 140th of 162 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 2.3 | — |
| 1989 | 2.26 | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 2.65 | +17.1% |
| 1991 | 3.31 | +25.0% |
| 1992 | 2.56 | -22.6% |
| 1993 | 2.33 | -9.0% |
| 1994 | 2.22 | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 2.41 | +8.7% |
| 1996 | 2.15 | -10.8% |
| 1997 | 2.23 | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 2.63 | +17.7% |
| 1999 | 2.78 | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 3.44 | +23.6% |
| 2001 | 1.79 | -48.0% |
| 2002 | 2.28 | +27.3% |
| 2003 | 2.34 | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 1.88 | -19.4% |
| 2005 | 1.89 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 1.7 | -9.7% |
| 2007 | 2.06 | +20.8% |
| 2008 | 1.66 | -19.2% |
| 2009 | 1.93 | +15.8% |
| 2010 | 1.42 | -26.2% |
| 2011 | 2.23 | +56.7% |
| 2012 | 2.7 | +21.1% |
| 2013 | 1.86 | -31.2% |
| 2014 | 2.31 | +24.6% |
| 2015 | 2.11 | -8.8% |
| 2016 | 1.47 | -30.6% |
| 2017 | 1.78 | +21.4% |
| 2018 | 1.56 | -12.3% |
| 2019 | 1.53 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.11 | -27.1% |
| 2021 | 1.41 | +26.3% |
| 2022 | 1.22 | -13.2% |
| 2023 | 2.02 | +65.6% |
| 2024 | 1.43 | -29.4% |
| 2025 | 2.4 | +67.8% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 2.4 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.85, 41% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 2.4 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.9, 41% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.28 | 2.26 | 2.3 | 2 |
| 1990s | 2.53 | 2.15 | 3.31 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.1 | 1.66 | 3.44 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9 | 1.42 | 2.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6 | 1.11 | 2.4 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 137 Sierra Leone 2.48 compare
- 138 Mongolia 2.47 compare
- 139 Egypt 2.45 compare
- 141 East Timor 2.38 compare
- 142 Haiti 2.36 compare
- 143 Switzerland 2.36 compare
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure as a share of government spending in Ghana?
- Military expenditure as a share of government spending in Ghana was 2.4 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military expenditure as a share of government spending recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 3.44 in 2000.
- What is the lowest military expenditure as a share of government spending recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.11 in 2020.
- How does Ghana rank for military expenditure as a share of government spending?
- Ghana ranks 140th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure as a share of government spending rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military expenditure as a share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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