Iraqi Ministries spend $44B in 2025

Shafaq News — Baghdad

Total operational expenditure for all Iraqi ministries during the first eight months of 2025 reached 58 trillion dinars ($44.44B), Echo Iraq Observatory said on Saturday.

According to the figures shared, the Ministry of Finance accounted for about 16.2222 trillion dinars ($12.43B), the highest spending level among all ministries. The Ministry of Interior followed with 8.8895 trillion dinars ($6.81B), while the Ministry of Education ranked third with 7.8499 trillion dinars ($6.02B).

The Observatory noted that the high outlays reflect not only payroll costs but also wider operational expenses, including procurement of goods and services and official travel, warning that continued “non-essential” spending beyond salaries could add further pressure to Iraq’s general budget, which is already carrying a significant deficit.

At the lower end of the scale, the Ministry of Communications recorded the smallest expenditure at 7.0387 billion dinars ($5.40M). It was followed by the Ministry of Environment, which spent 30.2637 billion dinars ($23.20M).

Here is the full ranking of ministries by spending through the end of August 2025:

- Ministry of Defence: 5.5635 trillion dinars (~$4.26B)

- Ministry of Health: 4.8141 trillion dinars (~$3.69B)

- Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: 4.2164 trillion dinars (~$3.23B)

- Ministry of Trade: 3.4381 trillion dinars (~$2.64B)

- Ministry of Electricity: 3.3628 trillion dinars (~$2.58B)

- Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research: 2.0245 trillion dinars (~$1.55B)

- Ministry of Justice: 580.6 billion dinars (~$445.7M)

- Ministry of Industry and Minerals: 559.6 billion dinars (~$429M)

- Ministry of Construction, Housing and Municipalities: 190.3 billion dinars (~$145.9M)

- Ministry of Water Resources: 188.9 billion dinars (~$144.8M)

- Ministry of Agriculture: 125.0 billion dinars (~$95.8M)

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 122.4 billion dinars (~$93.8M)

- Ministry of Culture: 74.2 billion dinars (~$56.8M)

- Ministry of Youth and Sports: 64.0 billion dinars (~$49.1M)

- Ministry of Transport: 45.9 billion dinars (~$35.2M)

- Ministry of Planning: 37.8 billion dinars (~$28.9M)

- Ministry of Migration and Displacement: 36.95 billion dinars (~$28.3M)

- Ministry of Oil: 33.95 billion dinars (~$26.0M)

- Ministry of Environment: 30.26 billion dinars (~$23.2M)

- Ministry of Communications: 7.04 billion dinars (~$5.4M)