Nigeria’s Armed Forces Slip to 39th in 2024 Global Firepower Rankings
In the latest Global Firepower (GFP) rankings, Nigeria’s Armed Forces have fallen to 39th place, marking the third consecutive year of decline, having been ranked 36th in 2023 and 35th in 2022. The annual assessment took into consideration 145 countries.
On the African continent, Nigeria has also dropped from third to fourth position, now trailing behind South Africa, Algeria, and Egypt. This decline in ranking is notable given Nigeria’s recent investments in advanced fighter jets and military assets, alongside reported improvements in its fight against terrorism.
The Global Firepower rankings rely on a comprehensive analysis of 60 individual factors to establish each nation’s power index score, assessing elements ranging from the quality of military forces to financial resources, logistical capabilities, and geographic considerations. For 2024, Nigeria’s Power Index (PwrIndx) score stood at 0.5619, where a score of 0.0000 denotes the highest level of military strength.
In the broader global context, the United States continues to lead, maintaining the top position for the 18th consecutive year. Other major military powers in the top five include Russia, China, India, and South Korea.
Noteworthy African nations such as Ethiopia, Angola, Morocco, and the Democratic Republic of Congo were also featured in the rankings, illustrating the continent’s varied military landscape.
Despite Nigeria’s sizeable manpower and fit-for-service population, the country fell significantly behind in areas such as helicopter carriers, tanker fleets, destroyers, naval corvettes, submarines, and reserve military strength, ranking last among all nations evaluated. Additionally, Nigeria scored poorly in crude oil and natural gas consumption.
This decline in rankings raises critical concerns about Nigeria’s defense capabilities and the management of resources amid ongoing security challenges faced by the nation.
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