Nigeria has been ranked as Africa’s third most powerful military in the 2025 Global Military Strength Index released by Global Firepower (GFP).
The annual index assesses countries’ military capabilities based on over 60 factors, including manpower, equipment, finances, logistics, and geography. It offers a broad overview of each nation’s defense strength.
In the 2025 list, Egypt held onto the top spot, followed by Algeria. Nigeria came in third, while South Africa and Ethiopia completed the top five on the continent.
Here are the top 10 African countries in the 2025 GFP Index, along with their global positions:
- Egypt (19)
- Algeria (26)
- Nigeria (31)
- South Africa (40)
- Ethiopia (52)
- Angola (56)
- Morocco (59)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (66)
- Sudan (73)
- Libya (76)
