FG has reportedly spent N74.96bn on Arms and Military Equipment between 2023 and 2025.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Federal Government expended at least N74.96 billion on arms, ammunition and military equipment between 2023 and 2025, according to data from GovSpend, a civic technology platform that tracks public expenditure.
The analysis shows that spending peaked in 2024 at N40.84 billion, rising from N33.30 billion recorded in 2023, before dropping sharply to N819.46 million in 2025 based on available records.
This reflects an increase of N7.54 billion, or 22.6 percent, between 2023 and 2024, with 2024 accounting for more than half of the total expenditure over the three-year period.
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A breakdown of the 2023 figures indicates that the Ministry of Defence Nigeria and the armed forces accounted for the bulk of the spending. The ministry alone recorded N9.17 billion for ammunition procurement on November 7, 2023, and an additional N6.89 billion on November 21 for similar purchases.
The Nigerian Army also logged major transactions in June 2023, including N4.41 billion for ammunition, N2.88 billion for arms procurement, and N2.77 billion for a surveillance attack aircraft.
Similarly, the Nigerian Navy spent N1 billion in August and N5 billion in December of the same year on arms and ammunition.
Other security agencies recorded varying levels of expenditure. Defence Headquarters spent N744.19 million on military equipment, while the Nigeria Correctional Service used N144.35 million for arms and protective gear. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) spent N172.77 million on operational equipment, while the National Park Headquarters recorded N13.91 million for similar purposes.
Spending surged significantly in 2024, largely driven by bulk procurement by the Ministry of Defence. On July 26, 2024, the ministry recorded five separate payments totalling N33.22 billion for what it described as urgent operational equipment for the military. This single-day transaction accounted for over 80 percent of the year’s total arms-related expenditure.
Additional spending by the ministry in 2024 included N990.89 million for ammunition in April, N941.94 million for armoured vehicles and related equipment, and N1.37 billion as retention payments for contracts in December.
Other agencies also increased procurement during the year. The Nigeria Immigration Service made multiple payments for rifles, pistols and ammunition, while the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) spent N1.94 billion in December 2024 on arms and anti-riot equipment for counter-narcotics operations.
Police formations also recorded payments for firearms tracking systems and arms handling training, while the NSCDC and the Nigerian Defence Academy carried out additional procurements.
In contrast, spending in 2025 was significantly lower and limited mainly to the NDLEA, which recorded N245.84 million in September as mobilisation for arms procurement and N573.62 million in December as final payment, bringing the total for the year to N819.46 million.
Overall, the data shows that while multiple agencies were involved in procurement, the majority of the spending was driven by the Ministry of Defence, particularly in 2024 when large-scale purchases were concentrated within a short period.
However, the figures represent only transactions explicitly classified under arms and military equipment, suggesting that total government spending on security may be significantly higher.
Separate data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicates that Africa accounted for just 4.5 percent of global arms imports in 2024 and 2025, compared to Europe’s 48.2 percent, highlighting disparities in access to modern military equipment.
Security analysts warn that this gap could limit the ability of African countries, including Nigeria, to effectively respond to rising threats such as terrorism, insurgency and transnational crime.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has earmarked over N13.12 billion for arms, ammunition and related equipment in the 2026 appropriation, signalling continued investment in the country’s security architecture.
