• Military spending in Africa increases 8.5% in 2025, led by North Africa

• Algeria and Morocco account for over 90% of North African outlays

• Nigeria and DRC drive gains in sub-Saharan Africa amid security crises

Military spending across Africa reached $58.2 billion in 2025, marking an 8.5% increase from 2024 and a 45% rise compared with 2016, according to a report released on April 27 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

North Africa accounted for the largest share, with $35 billion in military spending, representing 60% of the continent’s total. This reflects a 9.3% increase from 2024 and a 67% rise since 2016. Algeria led the continent with $25.4 billion in military expenditures in 2025, up 11% year over year, making it the largest military spender in both North Africa and Africa as a whole.

Military spending accounted for 25% of Algeria’s public expenditure, the second-highest share globally after Ukraine. Morocco followed as the second-largest spender on the continent, increasing its defense budget by 6.6% to $6.3 billion. Together, Algeria and Morocco represented more than 90% of North Africa’s total military spending.

Rising tensions over Western Sahara, a disputed territory between Morocco and the Polisario Front backed by Algeria, remain a key driver of sustained military buildup between the two countries.

In sub-Saharan Africa, military spending reached $23.3 billion in 2025, up 7.4% from 2024 and 21% higher than in 2016. The increase was largely driven by Nigeria, where defense spending surged 55% to $2.1 billion amid worsening security conditions linked to escalating extremist violence.

South Africa allocated $3.2 billion to its military in 2025, a decline of 1.2% from 2024 and 19% lower than in 2016. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, military spending rose 20% to $1.2 billion as conflict with the M23 rebel group intensified during the first half of the year, before a ceasefire agreement was signed in July.

The report also notes that newly available data in 2025 allowed for the first accurate estimate of Somalia’s military spending. The country allocated $199 million to its military, down 4.6% from 2024 but up 173% compared with 2016. The long-term increase reflects efforts by the government to counter al-Shabab, an armed Islamist group that continues to expand its influence in parts of the country.

Globally, military spending rose for the 11th consecutive year, reaching $2,887 billion in 2025. This brought the global military burden—measured as a share of gross domestic product—to 2.5%, its highest level since 2009. The annual increase of 2.9% was slower than the 9.7% growth recorded in 2024, largely due to a 7.5% decline in U.S. military spending.

Excluding the United States, global military expenditures rose 9.2% in 2025. The five largest spenders—the United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India—accounted for about 58% of total global military spending.

Walid Kéfi