Kenya now Africa’s second-largest major arms importer

Kenya imported 117 million TIV of major conventional arms in 2025, a six-fold increase from 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). This makes Kenya Africa's second-largest importer behind Morocco, overtaking traditional spenders such as Algeria, Angola, and Ethiopia. Imports were mainly from Israel, Italy, and the US, with Israeli air-defense systems and missiles totaling 45 million and 49 million TIV respectively. Kenya's defense budget hit a record Sh190 billion, representing 1.07% of GDP.