Nigeria is the third (3rd) most powerful country in terms of military strength and armed forces in Africa. Here is a list of the top ten (10) most powerful militaries in Africa:
1. Egypt 🇪🇬
2. Algeria 🇩🇿
3. Nigeria 🇳🇬
4. South Africa 🇿🇦
5. Ethiopia 🇪🇹
6. Angola 🇦🇴
7. Morocco 🇲🇦
8. Democratic Republic Of Congo 🇨🇩
9. Sudan 🇸🇩
10. Libya 🇱🇾
THE NIGERIAN DEFENSE FORCES
1. The Nigerian Army: Under the Nigerian Army, there are (223,000) soldiers and (8,962) combat vehicles.
Service Pistols/Rifles:
•AK47/AKM
•FN FAL
•IMI Galil (an Israeli rifle purchased by Nigeria)
•FN SCAR
•G3 Rifle
Machine Guns:
•PKM (general purpose machine gun)
•RPK
•NSV (for defense and long-range shooting)
•Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun
Grenade Launchers:
•GP-25/GP-30 (from Russia)
•AT-4 Anti-Tank Rocket
•Kornet Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (from Russia)
There are also new weapons that have not yet entered full service, such as the NORINCO CQ-A (China) and Tavor X95 (Israel).
The Nigerian Air Force
There are approximately (20,000) air force personnel. Combat aircraft include:
•Alpha Jet
•Chengdu F-7Ni (from China)
•Tucano A-29 (American) purchased by the late Buhari
Helicopters include:
•Mi-35M (from Russia 🇷🇺)
•AW109 (from Italy)
•EC-135
Military transport aircraft include:
•C-130 Hercules
•Dornier 228
•King Air 350
There are Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Aircraft:
•ATR 42
•Beechcraft Super King Air 350i
The Nigerian Navy
There are approximately (30,000) naval personnel.
There are major warships, submarine attack vessels, and vessels for defending Nigerian airspace, which include:
• Frigates - NNS Aradu
Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs)
•NNS Centenary (P-100)
•NNS Unity (P-217)
Over (40) Patrol craft for border security and combating illegal smuggling.
Amphibious Ships for transporting military equipment
•NNS Kada (Landing Ship Tank – LST 1314)
Fast Attack Craft (FAC) for rapid strikes at sea
Auxiliary Ships (tankers)
Comparison of Military Strength Between Nigeria and the USA.
The USA is the most powerful military nation in the world, while Nigeria is one of the stronger African nations militarily. Here is a brief comparison:
1. Military Budget:
· USA: Spends nearly $800 billion or more annually on national defense. This exceeds the military budget of all other countries in the world.
· Nigeria: Its military budget is only about $6 billion. This is small compared to the USA's.
2. Troop Numbers and Military Assets:
· USA: Has 1.3 million highly trained professional personnel across all service branches (army, navy, air force). It possesses over 13,000 aircraft, including advanced fighters like the F-35, and unmanned drones (UAVs). It has 11 large aircraft carriers.
· Nigeria: Has approximately 135,000 active personnel. It relies on mid-level modern equipment, but does not have large quantities and faces maintenance challenges. It lacks advanced generation fighter aircraft or aircraft carriers.
3. Military Technology:
· USA: Possesses the most advanced military technology in the world. It utilizes space assets, cybersecurity, and supercomputers in warfare. It also has a large nuclear arsenal.
· Nigeria: Its military technology is advancing, but it still relies largely on conventional weaponry.
4. Power Projection / Long-range Strike or Defense Capability:
· USA: Has the capability to launch attacks or conduct operations anywhere in the world. Its forces are deployed in many countries and it has military bases globally.
· Nigeria: Its power projection is largely confined to the West African region, primarily focused on counter-terrorism operations within the country and its immediate neighborhood.
In summary:
The US military is established for global power projection,while the Nigerian military is capable of securing its own sovereignty and addressing security challenges within the country and the region. The difference in strength, technology, and spending makes their comparison starkly different.