Military spending in Ghana
Ghana: Military spending was 318.88 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
318.88 million constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
126th
of 172 countries
All-time high
369.76 million constant 2022 US$
in 1975
All-time low
35.18 million constant 2022 US$
in 1957
Years of data
67
1957–2023
Military spending in Ghana, 1957–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending in Ghana stood at 318.88 million constant 2022 US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Ghana peaked at 369.76 million constant 2022 US$ in 1975 and was at its lowest, 35.18 million constant 2022 US$, in 1957.
That places Ghana 126th out of 172 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Ghana, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 35.18 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1958 | 40.33 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.6% |
| 1959 | 74.14 million constant 2022 US$ | +83.9% |
| 1960 | 125.31 million constant 2022 US$ | +69.0% |
| 1961 | 177.42 million constant 2022 US$ | +41.6% |
| 1962 | 198.70 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.0% |
| 1963 | 215.47 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.4% |
| 1964 | 225.08 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.5% |
| 1965 | 240.29 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.8% |
| 1966 | 264.20 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.9% |
| 1967 | 332.48 million constant 2022 US$ | +25.8% |
| 1968 | 344.08 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 339.50 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 322.62 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.0% |
| 1971 | 290.65 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.9% |
| 1972 | 257.92 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.3% |
| 1973 | 268.36 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 335.56 million constant 2022 US$ | +25.0% |
| 1975 | 369.76 million constant 2022 US$ | +10.2% |
| 1976 | 355.67 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.8% |
| 1977 | 323.92 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.9% |
| 1978 | 327.58 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 296.30 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.5% |
| 1980 | 264.00 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.9% |
| 1981 | 258.87 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 241.71 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.6% |
| 1983 | 91.47 million constant 2022 US$ | -62.2% |
| 1984 | 91.37 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 99.47 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.9% |
| 1986 | 90.24 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.3% |
| 1987 | 76.05 million constant 2022 US$ | -15.7% |
| 1988 | 50.61 million constant 2022 US$ | -33.5% |
| 1989 | 58.15 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.9% |
| 1990 | 61.87 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 1991 | 68.02 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.9% |
| 1992 | 76.07 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.8% |
| 1993 | 82.16 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.0% |
| 1994 | 100.11 million constant 2022 US$ | +21.9% |
| 1995 | 116.09 million constant 2022 US$ | +16.0% |
| 1996 | 118.38 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 124.61 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 126.46 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 113.31 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.4% |
| 2000 | 74.97 million constant 2022 US$ | -33.8% |
| 2001 | 59.73 million constant 2022 US$ | -20.3% |
| 2002 | 58.76 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 65.35 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.2% |
| 2004 | 79.02 million constant 2022 US$ | +20.9% |
| 2005 | 93.22 million constant 2022 US$ | +18.0% |
| 2006 | 107.45 million constant 2022 US$ | +15.3% |
| 2007 | 120.36 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.0% |
| 2008 | 132.99 million constant 2022 US$ | +10.5% |
| 2009 | 135.09 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 141.81 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 176.41 million constant 2022 US$ | +24.4% |
| 2012 | 180.03 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 292.73 million constant 2022 US$ | +62.6% |
| 2014 | 292.83 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 267.50 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.7% |
| 2016 | 234.62 million constant 2022 US$ | -12.3% |
| 2017 | 242.94 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 259.31 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 295.49 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.0% |
| 2020 | 303.10 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 319.26 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 306.16 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 318.88 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.2% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 318.88 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 485.52 million constant 2022 US$, 66% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 318.88 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 350.64 million constant 2022 US$, 91% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | +83.9% | 40.33 million constant 2022 US$ | 74.14 million constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 49.88 million constant 2022 US$ | 35.18 million constant 2022 US$ | 74.14 million constant 2022 US$ | 3 |
| 1960s | 246.25 million constant 2022 US$ | 125.31 million constant 2022 US$ | 344.08 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 314.83 million constant 2022 US$ | 257.92 million constant 2022 US$ | 369.76 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 132.19 million constant 2022 US$ | 50.61 million constant 2022 US$ | 264.00 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 98.71 million constant 2022 US$ | 61.87 million constant 2022 US$ | 126.46 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 92.69 million constant 2022 US$ | 58.76 million constant 2022 US$ | 135.09 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 238.37 million constant 2022 US$ | 141.81 million constant 2022 US$ | 295.49 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 311.85 million constant 2022 US$ | 303.10 million constant 2022 US$ | 319.26 million constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 123 Gabon 342.88 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 124 Niger 341.19 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 125 Trinidad and Tobago 323.77 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 127 Togo 314.46 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 128 Lebanon 307.11 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 129 Mauritania 293.81 million constant 2022 US$ 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 spending in Ghana?
- Military spending in Ghana was 318.88 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 369.76 million constant 2022 US$ in 1975.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.18 million constant 2022 US$ in 1957.
- How does Ghana rank for military spending?
- Ghana ranks 126th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 67 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.