Nigeria has been ranked the third most powerful military force in Africa, according to the 2025 Global Firepower Military Strength Index.

The report, which evaluates the military capabilities of 145 countries worldwide, places Nigeria behind only Egypt and Algeria on the continent.

The ranking, cited by VANGUARD, uses over 60 indicators to assess a country’s military strength. These include active and reserve troop numbers, diversity of weapon systems, defense budget, logistics, and geographical positioning.

Egypt retained its position as Africa’s top military force, ranking 19th globally, while Algeria followed at 26th. Nigeria climbed to 31st place globally, reflecting ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and strengthen its defense infrastructure, particularly in counter-terrorism operations and strategic defense investments.

South Africa, once seen as a continental military heavyweight, came in fourth in Africa and 40th globally. Ethiopia, Angola, and Morocco also made it into the top 10 African military powers.

Top 10 African Countries on the 2025 Global Firepower Index:

1. Egypt (Global Rank: 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)

Top 10 Countries in the World with most powerful military

1. United States
2. Russia
3. China
4. India
5. South Korea
6. United Kingdom
7. France
8. Japan
9. Turkey
10. Italy

Vanguard News