Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have recorded an increase in arms imports in recent years, reflecting growing security demands across the region.
Between 2016 and 2020, and again from 2021 to 2025, arms imports into Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 13 percent of the global total.
The figures are contained in the latest annual report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute titled “Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2025.”
The report notes that global arms transfers have risen since 2011–2015, driven by significant rearmament in Europe and a broader reconfiguration of arms flows worldwide.
