Cameroon Military Spending
Cameroon spends an estimated 1.0% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $580 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1970–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$597 million
Ranked #100 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.0%
Ranked #125 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+2.9%
From $580M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$580 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 Cameroon’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 Cameroon run to 2025.
Cameroon Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Cameroon is estimated to have spent $597 million on military and defense, representing 1.0% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Cameroon is the #100 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 2.9%, from $580 million to $597 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 2.0% in 1982. The historical average military budget is 1.4% 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) | 1.00% | $615M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.00% | $597M |
| 2025 | 1.06% | $580M |
| 2024 | 1.00% | $535M |
| 2023 | 0.93% | $477M |
| 2022 | 0.94% | $481M |
| 2021 | 0.99% | $484M |
| 2020 | 0.96% | $455M |
| 2019 | 1.06% | $510M |
| 2018 | 1.08% | $504M |
| 2017 | 1.14% | $509M |
| 2016 | 1.15% | $493M |
| 2015 | 1.10% | $453M |
| 2014 | 1.10% | $442M |
| 2013 | 1.17% | $440M |
| 2012 | 1.18% | $418M |
| 2011 | 1.14% | $389M |
| 2010 | 1.29% | $429M |
| 2009 | 1.23% | $401M |
| 2008 | 1.26% | $396M |
| 2007 | 1.24% | $382M |
| 2006 | 1.23% | $364M |
| 2005 | 1.14% | $336M |
| 2004 | 1.40% | $340M |
| 2003 | 1.38% | $319M |
| 2002 | 1.34% | $298M |
| 2001 | 1.29% | $275M |
| 2000 | 1.32% | $276M |
| 1999 | 1.44% | $284M |
| 1998 | 1.40% | $263M |
| 1997 | 1.30% | $232M |
| 1996 | 1.22% | $210M |
| 1995 | 1.25% | $207M |
| 1994 | 1.31% | $209M |
| 1993 | 1.33% | $256M |
| 1992 | 1.53% | $253M |
| 1991 | 1.51% | $262M |
| 1990 | 1.47% | $256M |
| 1989 | 1.33% | $247M |
| 1988 | 1.28% | $238M |
| 1987 | 1.25% | $258M |
| 1986 | 1.22% | $300M |
| 1985 | 1.34% | $335M |
| 1984 | 1.74% | $387M |
| 1983 | 1.89% | $384M |
| 1982 | 1.99% | $391M |
| 1981 | 1.82% | $335M |
| 1980 | 1.56% | $239M |
| 1979 | 1.66% | $234M |
| 1978 | 1.67% | $214M |
| 1977 | 1.72% | $202M |
| 1976 | 1.76% | $198M |
| 1975 | 1.73% | $188M |
| 1974 | 1.69% | $178M |
| 1973 | 1.76% | $176M |
| 1972 | 1.76% | $173M |
| 1971 | 1.84% | $177M |
| 1970 | 1.87% | $174M |