Sierra Leone Military Spending
Sierra Leone spends an estimated 0.5% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $30 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1961–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$31 million
Ranked #148 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
0.5%
Ranked #154 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.3%
From $30M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$58 million
Reached in 2016
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Sierra Leone’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 Sierra Leone run to 2025.
Sierra Leone Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Sierra Leone is estimated to have spent $31 million on military and defense, representing 0.5% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Sierra Leone is the #148 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.3%, from $30 million to $31 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 1.7% in 2001. 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) | 0.54% | $32M |
| 2026(estimate) | 0.54% | $31M |
| 2025 | 0.37% | $30M |
| 2024 | 0.66% | $51M |
| 2023 | 0.60% | $47M |
| 2022 | 0.58% | $49M |
| 2021 | 0.60% | $48M |
| 2020 | 0.49% | $38M |
| 2019 | 0.38% | $30M |
| 2018 | 0.47% | $37M |
| 2017 | 0.68% | $52M |
| 2016 | 0.71% | $58M |
| 2015 | 0.58% | $47M |
| 2014 | 0.75% | $56M |
| 2013 | 0.47% | $36M |
| 2012 | 0.52% | $36M |
| 2011 | 0.53% | $33M |
| 2010 | 0.60% | $32M |
| 2009 | 0.70% | $30M |
| 2008 | 0.60% | $26M |
| 2007 | 0.84% | $34M |
| 2006 | 0.89% | $38M |
| 2005 | 0.86% | $35M |
| 2004 | 0.97% | $36M |
| 2003 | 1.28% | $44M |
| 2002 | 1.36% | $39M |
| 2001 | 1.72% | $41M |
| 2000 | 1.58% | $34M |
| 1999 | 1.09% | $21M |
| 1998 | 0.64% | $15M |
| 1997 | 0.48% | $12M |
| 1996 | 0.85% | $25M |
| 1995 | 1.24% | $34M |
| 1994 | 1.25% | $35M |
| 1993 | 1.31% | $37M |
| 1992 | 1.69% | $45M |
| 1991 | 1.28% | $39M |
| 1990 | 0.82% | $21M |
| 1989 | 0.52% | $21M |
| 1988 | 0.30% | $11M |
| 1987 | 0.25% | $8M |
| 1986 | 0.35% | $17M |
| 1985 | 0.22% | $8M |
| 1984 | 0.30% | $12M |
| 1983 | 0.36% | $15M |
| 1982 | 0.43% | $23M |
| 1981 | 0.54% | $30M |
| 1980 | 0.59% | $34M |
| 1979 | 1.11% | $26M |
| 1978 | 1.00% | $23M |
| 1977 | 1.09% | $25M |
| 1976 | 1.09% | $22M |
| 1975 | 1.03% | $23M |
| 1974 | 1.21% | $27M |
| 1973 | 1.04% | $22M |
| 1972 | 0.95% | $19M |
| 1971 | 0.90% | $19M |
| 1970 | 0.93% | $19M |
| 1969 | 0.87% | $17M |
| 1968 | 0.80% | $14M |
| 1967 | 0.80% | $14M |
| 1966 | 0.69% | $12M |
| 1965 | 0.72% | $13M |
| 1964 | 0.78% | $13M |
| 1963 | 0.76% | $13M |
| 1962 | 0.71% | $12M |
| 1961 | 0.73% | $12M |