Ghana Military Spending
Ghana spends an estimated 0.4% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $385 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1958–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$397 million
Ranked #111 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.4%
Ranked #156 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.1%
From $385M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$385 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 Ghana’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 Ghana run to 2025.
Ghana Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Ghana is estimated to have spent $397 million on military and defense, representing 0.4% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Ghana is the #111 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.1%, from $385 million to $397 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 2.7% in 1968. The historical average military budget is 0.8% 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) | 0.41% | $408M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.41% | $397M |
| 2025 | 0.48% | $385M |
| 2024 | 0.35% | $274M |
| 2023 | 0.40% | $288M |
| 2022 | 0.34% | $247M |
| 2021 | 0.38% | $277M |
| 2020 | 0.35% | $238M |
| 2019 | 0.34% | $233M |
| 2018 | 0.33% | $204M |
| 2017 | 0.31% | $180M |
| 2016 | 0.29% | $158M |
| 2015 | 0.39% | $209M |
| 2014 | 0.48% | $261M |
| 2013 | 0.40% | $195M |
| 2012 | 0.59% | $265M |
| 2011 | 0.44% | $172M |
| 2010 | 0.28% | $93M |
| 2009 | 0.34% | $98M |
| 2008 | 0.29% | $84M |
| 2007 | 0.37% | $96M |
| 2006 | 0.26% | $62M |
| 2005 | 0.26% | $58M |
| 2004 | 0.28% | $59M |
| 2003 | 0.30% | $63M |
| 2002 | 0.26% | $52M |
| 2001 | 0.26% | $45M |
| 2000 | 0.44% | $76M |
| 1999 | 0.33% | $61M |
| 1998 | 0.33% | $54M |
| 1997 | 0.29% | $43M |
| 1996 | 0.29% | $43M |
| 1995 | 0.34% | $51M |
| 1994 | 0.43% | $50M |
| 1993 | 0.42% | $46M |
| 1992 | 0.38% | $39M |
| 1991 | 0.37% | $36M |
| 1990 | 0.28% | $25M |
| 1989 | 0.43% | $24M |
| 1988 | 0.44% | $22M |
| 1987 | 0.89% | $42M |
| 1986 | 0.90% | $41M |
| 1985 | 1.00% | $38M |
| 1984 | 0.59% | $20M |
| 1983 | 0.34% | $11M |
| 1982 | 0.54% | $18M |
| 1981 | 0.74% | $25M |
| 1980 | 0.77% | $33M |
| 1979 | 0.65% | $27M |
| 1978 | 0.85% | $42M |
| 1977 | 1.25% | $56M |
| 1976 | 1.57% | $89M |
| 1975 | 1.71% | $123M |
| 1974 | 1.58% | $130M |
| 1973 | 1.36% | $100M |
| 1972 | 1.43% | $99M |
| 1971 | 1.70% | $115M |
| 1970 | 2.12% | $142M |
| 1969 | 2.50% | $153M |
| 1968 | 2.66% | $148M |
| 1966 | 2.23% | $109M |
| 1965 | 1.73% | $93M |
| 1964 | 1.92% | $110M |
| 1963 | 2.02% | $116M |
| 1962 | 2.00% | $108M |
| 1961 | 2.10% | $116M |
| 1960 | 1.71% | $94M |
| 1959 | 1.03% | $53M |
| 1958 | 1.00% | $47M |