15 African countries with the highest defense budgets
As of 2022, Algeria had the highest defense spending budget in Africa, around 10 billion U.S. dollars. The country ranked 23rd in the world. Nigeria and Morocco followed, with a budget of roughly 5.9 billion and 5.4 billion U.S. dollars, respectively. Overall, North Africa was the region allocating the largest budget to national defense on the continent.
The Algerian military power
As the leading defense spender in Africa, Algeria devotes nearly seven percent of its GDP to military expenditure, the highest share on African continent. In addition, the Algerian government military spending per-capital ranked second in Africa after Botswana, reaching 221 U.S. dollars in 2020. These heavy investments aimed at improving Algeria’s national security, as well as supporting the country’s military force, concentrated in the People’s National Armed Forces. Thanks to the high public expenditure, Algeria has the second most powerful army in Africa after Egypt.Seeking national security in Africa
Internal conflicts caused by political instability and terrorism determined the need for many African countries to improve their military strength. However, despite the general increment in the total military expenditure on the continent in recent years, Africa only accounts for around two percent of the global military spending . North Africa is the region that has been focusing the most on developing its military industry, leading to an actual arms race. Especially Algeria and Morocco have been expanding their armed forces by increasing the imports of arms and military equipment.- Algeria: $9.7 billion
- Nigeria: $5.8 billion
- Morocco: $5.4 billion
- Egypt: $4.3 billion
- Libya: $3.4 billion
- South Africa: $2.9 billion
- Kenya: $1.1 billion
- Tunisia: 1.1 billion
- Angola: $1 billion
- Uganda: $934 million
- Tanzania: $749 million
- Ivory Coast: $651 million
- Mali: $591 million
- Ethiopia: $538 million
- Botswana: $473 million