Uganda Military Spending
Uganda spends an estimated 1.9% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $1.2 billion (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1962–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$1.2 billion
Ranked #80 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.9%
Ranked #87 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+3.0%
From $1.2B in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$1.2 billion
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 Uganda’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 Uganda run to 2025.
Uganda Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Uganda is estimated to have spent $1.2 billion on military and defense, representing 1.9% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Uganda is the #80 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 3.0%, from $1.2 billion to $1.2 billion. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 4.1% in 1972. The historical average military budget is 2.0% 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) | 1.94% | $1,270M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.94% | $1,234M |
| 2025 | 1.96% | $1,198M |
| 2024 | 1.97% | $1,117M |
| 2023 | 1.88% | $999M |
| 2022 | 1.85% | $988M |
| 2021 | 2.34% | $1,182M |
| 2020 | 2.47% | $1,162M |
| 2019 | 1.72% | $787M |
| 2018 | 1.15% | $514M |
| 2017 | 1.04% | $433M |
| 2016 | 1.00% | $397M |
| 2015 | 0.99% | $382M |
| 2014 | 0.92% | $344M |
| 2013 | 0.94% | $325M |
| 2012 | 1.18% | $387M |
| 2011 | 2.54% | $759M |
| 2010 | 2.46% | $765M |
| 2009 | 1.43% | $358M |
| 2008 | 1.35% | $364M |
| 2007 | 1.39% | $330M |
| 2006 | 1.50% | $323M |
| 2005 | 1.68% | $334M |
| 2004 | 1.77% | $333M |
| 2003 | 1.69% | $291M |
| 2002 | 1.63% | $271M |
| 2001 | 1.68% | $252M |
| 2000 | 1.76% | $250M |
| 1999 | 2.66% | $258M |
| 1998 | 2.44% | $226M |
| 1997 | 2.12% | $178M |
| 1996 | 2.21% | $180M |
| 1995 | 2.10% | $168M |
| 1994 | 2.02% | $148M |
| 1993 | 1.93% | $120M |
| 1992 | 1.66% | $117M |
| 1991 | 2.51% | $177M |
| 1990 | 2.97% | $182M |
| 1989 | 2.73% | $180M |
| 1988 | 2.46% | $199M |
| 1987 | 2.59% | $199M |
| 1986 | 2.91% | $206M |
| 1985 | 2.66% | $192M |
| 1984 | 2.63% | $148M |
| 1983 | 2.22% | $92M |
| 1982 | 1.98% | $131M |
| 1981 | 1.89% | $172M |
| 1980 | 2.22% | $196M |
| 1979 | 1.69% | $144M |
| 1978 | 1.97% | $189M |
| 1977 | 2.04% | $239M |
| 1976 | 3.19% | $345M |
| 1975 | 2.82% | $389M |
| 1974 | 3.62% | $417M |
| 1973 | 3.50% | $554M |
| 1972 | 4.06% | $703M |
| 1971 | 3.47% | $554M |
| 1970 | 1.97% | $324M |
| 1969 | 1.82% | $306M |
| 1968 | 1.79% | $298M |
| 1967 | 1.62% | $243M |
| 1966 | 1.44% | $213M |
| 1965 | 1.13% | $159M |
| 1964 | 0.65% | $91M |
| 1963 | 0.37% | $50M |
| 1962 | 0.11% | $14M |