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Nigeria's Military Spending Surges Amid Rising Kidnappings
Developing
In Short: Nigeria's military expenditure jumped 55 percent to $2.1 billion in 2025 as kidnappings increased by 66 percent.
Nigeria's military spending surged 55 percent year-on-year to $2.1 billion in 2025, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This increase comes amid a significant rise in kidnappings, with more than 7,800 people kidnapped between July 2025 and June 2026, a 66 percent increase from the previous year, according to a report from risk advisory firm SBM Intelligence.
President Bola Tinubu is pushing forward with military reforms ahead of the 2027 elections, where insecurity is expected to be a major concern for voters. Tinubu, seeking a second term as the candidate for the All Progressives Congress party, faces the same main challengers he faced in 2023: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra state Governor Peter Obi.
Sekinat Ojeniyi of Africa Practice, a global risk advisory firm, noted that the security situation in Nigeria is closely tied to economic issues. 'An attack that closes a road, displaces farmers, or shuts a market very quickly becomes an issue of household income and food prices,' Ojeniyi said.
The surge in military spending and kidnappings highlights the ongoing challenges Nigeria faces in maintaining security and economic stability. As the country prepares for the 2027 elections, addressing these issues will be crucial for the next administration.
The military reforms and increased spending are part of a broader strategy to tackle the rising insecurity, but the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen.
What this adds
The sources have not established the specific details of the military reforms or their projected impact on reducing kidnappings and improving security.
What's still developing
- “You cannot create widespread poverty and expect peace,” Obi told Nigerian broadcaster Channels Television.
- Africa Brief: What’s Behind Nigeria’s Military Spending Spree Create an FP account to save articles to read later.
- The highlights this week: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu presses on with military reforms ahead of 2027 elections, Africa’s richest man launches the continent’s biggest-ever initial public offering, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo plans to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
- The move is the latest in a series of military reforms ahead of January’s general elections, in which insecurity will be high on the list of voters’ concerns.
Sources
- Foreignpolicylink