The French magazine “Le Point” focused on the Algerian military budget , noting that it has increased to about three times in three years, and now represents about half of the total military spending in Africa, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The magazine explained that Algeria ranks second globally in military spending, directly after Ukraine, despite not being at war. However, "this significant increase in recent years has surprised experts due to the scale of military expenditure," the magazine commented.
In the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute entitled “Trends in Global Military Expenditure 2025” dated April 28, 2026, which provides detailed figures on military budgets in the world, Algeria’s military spending in 2025 reached about $25.4 billion, compared to only $9.1 billion in 2022. It then witnessed an increase of 76% in 2023 to reach $18.3 billion, followed by further increases to $21.8 billion in 2024 and $25.4 billion in 2025.
Thus, the magazine notes, Algerian military spending has almost tripled in three years, since President Abdelmadjid Tebboune consolidated his power, after his election on December 12, 2019 and his re-election on September 7, 2024.
This dynamic is also evident when considering the ratio of military spending to GDP. In 2025, this ratio reached 8.8%, placing Algeria second globally in terms of military burden, after Ukraine (40%) and ahead of Israel (7.8%). The report also indicates that military spending constituted 25% of total public expenditures, the second highest percentage in the world after Ukraine.
At the continental level in Africa, data indicates that this figure represents almost half of the total military spending of all African countries, which amounted to $58.2 billion, an increase of 8.5% compared to the previous year, marking the third consecutive year of growth.
According to Le Point, experts believe that among the reasons for the increase in Algerian military spending is the ongoing tension with Morocco, in addition to a more hardline foreign policy since Tebboune took power, as well as the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region, where Algeria traditionally exerted influence over countries such as Mali and Niger.
There is also an internal factor related to President Tebboune, as he is the first Algerian president who does not have the legitimacy of participating in the war of independence, which may push him to strengthen the role of the army as a means of strengthening his political legitimacy.
As for Morocco, its regional rival, the magazine says it spends significantly less, although it is on the same upward trajectory. Its military spending reached $6.3 billion in 2025, compared to $5.5 billion in 2024 and $5.2 billion in 2023. Nevertheless, the gap remains substantial, with Algeria spending roughly four times as much as Morocco.
To understand this increase, the magazine says, one must return to the historical context. Algeria has not witnessed a similar rise since the period following the October War of 1973, when expenditures rose sharply due to regional tensions, in addition to the impact of the Moroccan “Green March” of 1975, which was considered a threat by Algeria.
The conflict over Western Sahara remains one of the main causes of tension between the two countries to this day, as confirmed by a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which indicated that this conflict largely explains the increase in military spending by both Algeria and Morocco.
For 2026, Algeria initially allocated a budget of $24.6 billion to the military, with expectations of future increases. This spending significantly impacts the country's public finances, far exceeding the budgets for sectors such as health ($6.8 billion) and education ($13.7 billion), in a country with a population of approximately 46 million, the magazine reports.
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