Morocco was the second-largest military spender in Africa in 2025, with defense expenditure rising 6.6% year on year, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The increase places Morocco behind Algeria, which topped the continent with a defense budget of $25.4 billion after an 11% rise.
Across Africa, total military spending reached $58.2 billion in 2025, up 8.5%, the report said, as governments increased budgets amid security challenges and geopolitical uncertainty.
Globally, military expenditure climbed to about $2.9 trillion, marking the eleventh consecutive annual increase. The United States, China and Russia accounted for more than half of that total, with combined spending of around $1.48 trillion.
The United States remained the largest spender at $954 billion, despite a 7.5% decline linked to the absence of new military aid packages for Ukraine, after three years of significant support. Analysts expect this dip to be temporary, with higher budgets already approved for 2026.
Europe was the main driver of global growth, with spending rising 14% to $864 billion, fueled by the war in Ukraine and shifting security responsibilities within NATO.
Russia increased its military budget by 5.9% to $190 billion, while Ukraine raised spending by 20% to $84.1 billion, equivalent to about 40% of its GDP. Germany and Spain also posted sharp increases, reflecting a broader rearmament trend.
SIPRI researcher Lorenzo Scarazzato said the global “military burden” has reached its highest level since 2009, as countries respond to a worsening security environment.
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