Nigeria has been ranked as the third most powerful military force on the African continent, according to the 2025 edition of the Global Military Strength Index published by Global Firepower (GFP).
This marks a significant affirmation of Nigeria’s growing military capacity in the face of complex security challenges and regional threats.
The Global Firepower Index is an authoritative annual ranking that assesses the military strength of nations worldwide. The evaluation is based on more than 60 carefully selected indicators that collectively measure a country’s ability to project power across land, sea, and air domains.
These indicators include manpower availability, weapon systems and hardware strength, financial stability, logistics infrastructure, natural resource access, and geographical considerations.
In the latest 2025 rankings, Egypt retained its long-held position as the strongest military in Africa, ranking 19th globally, while Algeria came in second in Africa and 26th globally.
Nigeria followed closely, securing the third spot on the continent and placing 31st globally. South Africa and Ethiopia completed the top five in Africa, with global rankings of 40 and 52 respectively.
The report highlights Nigeria’s consistent investment in defense systems, training, and logistics in recent years, which have significantly enhanced its military readiness and capacity to respond to both internal and external security threats.
Below is a breakdown of the top 10 African countries in the 2025 Global Firepower rankings, along with their respective global positions:
1. Egypt – 19
2. Algeria – 26
3. Nigeria – 31
4. South Africa – 40
5. Ethiopia – 52
6. Angola – 56
7. Morocco – 59
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo – 66
9. Sudan – 73
10. Libya – 76
Other notable African nations in the rankings include:
Kenya – 83
Chad – 84
Mozambique – 89
Tunisia – 90
Tanzania – 92
Cameroon – 93
Ivory Coast – 102
Mali – 104
Zambia – 109
Ghana – 110
Zimbabwe – 111
South Sudan – 113
Uganda – 114
Namibia – 116
Niger – 119
Eritrea – 120
Republic of the Congo – 121
Botswana – 122
Mauritania – 123
Senegal – 125
Burkina Faso – 129
Madagascar – 130
Gabon – 133
Liberia – 138
Sierra Leone – 140
Somalia – 142
Central African Republic – 143
Benin – 144
The GFP index does not merely count the number of weapons or troops but considers the diversity of assets, training, defense budget, and available infrastructure.
The index serves as a strategic resource for military analysts, policymakers, and defense experts who seek to understand a nation’s overall military posture in a global context.
Nigeria’s position in the top three highlights its role as a regional military heavyweight in West Africa and reflects the country’s ongoing efforts to enhance national defense and regional security cooperation.