Military spending in Nigeria
Nigeria: Military spending was 4.07 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
4.07 billion constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 3.8%
World rank
56th
of 172 countries
All-time high
6.33 billion constant 2022 US$
in 1977
All-time low
155.35 million constant 2022 US$
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Military spending in Nigeria, 1960–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending in Nigeria stood at 4.07 billion constant 2022 US$.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 63.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Nigeria peaked at 6.33 billion constant 2022 US$ in 1977 and was at its lowest, 155.35 million constant 2022 US$, in 1960.
Nigeria ranks 56th of 172 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 155.35 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1961 | 208.41 million constant 2022 US$ | +34.2% |
| 1962 | 265.54 million constant 2022 US$ | +27.4% |
| 1963 | 316.56 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.2% |
| 1964 | 379.91 million constant 2022 US$ | +20.0% |
| 1965 | 425.75 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.1% |
| 1966 | 413.81 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.8% |
| 1967 | 1.09 billion constant 2022 US$ | +164.5% |
| 1968 | 1.81 billion constant 2022 US$ | +65.0% |
| 1969 | 3.77 billion constant 2022 US$ | +108.9% |
| 1970 | 2.74 billion constant 2022 US$ | -27.4% |
| 1971 | 2.66 billion constant 2022 US$ | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 3.54 billion constant 2022 US$ | +33.2% |
| 1973 | 3.36 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.1% |
| 1974 | 3.36 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 6.09 billion constant 2022 US$ | +81.2% |
| 1976 | 6.23 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 6.33 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 5.42 billion constant 2022 US$ | -14.5% |
| 1979 | 4.91 billion constant 2022 US$ | -9.3% |
| 1980 | 4.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.8% |
| 1981 | 2.68 billion constant 2022 US$ | -42.0% |
| 1982 | 2.65 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 2.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | -20.2% |
| 1984 | 1.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | -23.0% |
| 1985 | 1.36 billion constant 2022 US$ | -16.6% |
| 1986 | 885.15 million constant 2022 US$ | -34.8% |
| 1987 | 465.74 million constant 2022 US$ | -47.4% |
| 1988 | 461.00 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 443.60 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 472.09 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 1991 | 406.19 million constant 2022 US$ | -14.0% |
| 1992 | 423.89 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 441.95 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 1.20 billion constant 2022 US$ | +171.8% |
| 1995 | 1.60 billion constant 2022 US$ | +33.4% |
| 1996 | 1.83 billion constant 2022 US$ | +14.3% |
| 1997 | 1.93 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 2.08 billion constant 2022 US$ | +7.6% |
| 1999 | 1.78 billion constant 2022 US$ | -14.5% |
| 2000 | 978.24 million constant 2022 US$ | -45.1% |
| 2001 | 991.58 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 1.20 billion constant 2022 US$ | +21.4% |
| 2003 | 990.29 million constant 2022 US$ | -17.8% |
| 2004 | 1.01 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 1.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 1.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2007 | 1.32 billion constant 2022 US$ | +19.3% |
| 2008 | 1.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | +29.6% |
| 2009 | 1.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 2.08 billion constant 2022 US$ | +14.4% |
| 2011 | 2.40 billion constant 2022 US$ | +15.4% |
| 2012 | 2.46 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 2.49 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 2.54 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 2.33 billion constant 2022 US$ | -8.4% |
| 2016 | 2.06 billion constant 2022 US$ | -11.7% |
| 2017 | 2.16 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 2.39 billion constant 2022 US$ | +10.4% |
| 2019 | 2.78 billion constant 2022 US$ | +16.3% |
| 2020 | 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | +18.9% |
| 2021 | 4.07 billion constant 2022 US$ | +23.2% |
| 2022 | 3.92 billion constant 2022 US$ | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 4.07 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.8% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 4.07 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 485.52 million constant 2022 US$, 8.4× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 4.07 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 350.64 million constant 2022 US$, 11.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +171.8% | 441.95 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.20 billion constant 2022 US$ |
| 1967 | +164.5% | 413.81 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.09 billion constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 883.67 million constant 2022 US$ | 155.35 million constant 2022 US$ | 3.77 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.46 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.66 billion constant 2022 US$ | 6.33 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.73 billion constant 2022 US$ | 443.60 million constant 2022 US$ | 4.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.22 billion constant 2022 US$ | 406.19 million constant 2022 US$ | 2.08 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.22 billion constant 2022 US$ | 978.24 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.37 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.06 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.78 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.84 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4.07 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 53 Malaysia 4.68 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 54 Argentina 4.45 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 55 Hungary 4.10 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 57 Azerbaijan 3.76 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 58 South Africa 3.63 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 59 New Zealand 3.61 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Nigeria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 19.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 81.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 14.27 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Nigeria?
- Military spending in Nigeria was 4.07 billion 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 Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.33 billion constant 2022 US$ in 1977.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 155.35 million constant 2022 US$ in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for military spending?
- Nigeria ranks 56th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria 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 — 64 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.