Benin Military Spending
Benin spends an estimated 0.8% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $204 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1960–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$210 million
Ranked #123 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.8%
Ranked #141 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+2.9%
From $204M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$204 million
Reached in 2025
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Benin’s last 3 reported years (2023–2025), carried across both estimate years unchanged. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 3%, the same rate applied to every country in this group, so it can rise even where the share-of-GDP path falls. Actual SIPRI figures for Benin run to 2025.
Benin Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Benin is estimated to have spent $210 million on military and defense, representing 0.8% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Benin is the #123 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 2.9%, from $204 million to $210 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 2.2% in 1964. The historical average military budget is 1.2% of GDP.
Data source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Values are in constant 2024 US dollars. Data for 2026 is an estimate based on government budget announcements.
Historical Military Spending
Military Spending (% of GDP)
Military Spending (USD Billions, 2024 prices)
Historical Data
| Year | Percent of GDP | USD (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027(estimate) | 0.81% | $216M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.81% | $210M |
| 2025 | 0.89% | $204M |
| 2024 | 0.78% | $167M |
| 2023 | 0.76% | $151M |
| 2022 | 0.63% | $118M |
| 2021 | 0.55% | $94M |
| 2020 | 0.46% | $73M |
| 2019 | 0.47% | $73M |
| 2018 | 0.63% | $91M |
| 2017 | 0.92% | $124M |
| 2016 | 0.67% | $87M |
| 2015 | 0.80% | $99M |
| 2014 | 0.70% | $85M |
| 2013 | 0.69% | $78M |
| 2012 | 0.70% | $73M |
| 2008 | 0.66% | $60M |
| 2006 | 0.67% | $56M |
| 2005 | 0.68% | $56M |
| 2004 | 0.68% | $55M |
| 2003 | 0.65% | $50M |
| 2002 | 0.62% | $46M |
| 2001 | 0.36% | $25M |
| 2000 | 0.41% | $28M |
| 1999 | 0.49% | $31M |
| 1990 | 1.23% | $50M |
| 1989 | 1.31% | $52M |
| 1988 | 1.56% | $62M |
| 1987 | 1.57% | $63M |
| 1986 | 1.36% | $53M |
| 1985 | 1.30% | $52M |
| 1984 | 1.46% | $54M |
| 1983 | 1.19% | $44M |
| 1982 | 1.05% | $33M |
| 1981 | 1.55% | $29M |
| 1980 | 2.03% | $32M |
| 1979 | 1.93% | $26M |
| 1978 | 1.19% | $15M |
| 1977 | 1.68% | $21M |
| 1976 | 1.28% | $16M |
| 1975 | 1.49% | $18M |
| 1974 | 1.44% | $19M |
| 1973 | 1.68% | $20M |
| 1972 | 1.49% | $18M |
| 1971 | 1.60% | $17M |
| 1970 | 1.63% | $17M |
| 1969 | 1.89% | — |
| 1968 | 2.07% | — |
| 1967 | 1.98% | — |
| 1966 | 1.90% | — |
| 1965 | 2.11% | — |
| 1964 | 2.18% | — |
| 1963 | 1.74% | — |
| 1962 | 1.75% | — |
| 1961 | 1.40% | — |
| 1960 | 0.87% | — |