Nigeria placed among Africa’s top military spenders with $3.19bn in 2020

Nigeria spent $3.19 billion on military operations in 2020, making it the third-highest defence spender in Africa, according to new comparative figures released on Wednesday.

The data shows that Algeria led the continent with $18.26 billion, reflecting its long-standing investment in military hardware and counterterrorism operations. Morocco followed with $5.18 billion, while Nigeria took the third position ahead of Egypt, which allocated $3.16 billion in the same year.

Other countries in the top bracket include South Africa with $2.78 billion, Angola at $1.27 billion, and Ethiopia, which spent $1.23 billion. Tunisia recorded $1.21 billion, South Sudan allocated $1.08 billion, and Kenya completed the list with $999.54 million.

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The rankings underline the varying security pressures across the continent in 2020, a year in which several African nations faced insurgencies, political unrest, and border challenges.

Rising Security Pressures and Expanding Defence Needs

Nigeria’s position on the list reflects the scale of its security burden during the period, with the country grappling with Boko Haram and ISWAP in the Northeast, growing banditry in the Northwest, and communal conflicts across multiple regions.

The expenditure also aligns with intensified operations launched that year, including expanded counterinsurgency missions, procurement of armoured vehicles, and investments in air force platforms.

Security analysts say that while Nigeria’s spending placed it among the continent’s top defence investors, the persistence of violent attacks in subsequent years has raised questions about efficiency, strategy, and oversight within the security architecture.