Nigeria rises to 31st in Global Military Ranking, third in Africa

Nigeria’s military strength has improved significantly, ranking 31st in the 2025 Global Firepower Index and securing the third position in Africa.

This marks a notable rise from its 39th position in 2024.

The 2025 Global Firepower Review assessed the military capabilities of 145 nations, with an ideal power index of 0.0000. According to the report, the United States retained its top position with a 0.744 index, followed by Russia (0.0788) and China (0.0788). India and South Korea ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.

Nigeria’s military recorded a power index of 0.5771, moving up seven places from the previous year. The report also ranked Nigeria’s combat tank fleet 39th globally.

On the African front, Egypt led the rankings with a 0.3427 index, followed by Algeria at 0.3589, while Nigeria secured third place. South Africa ranked fourth with a 0.6889 index, while the Benin Republic placed 38th with a 4.3156 index.

In terms of specific military branches, the Nigerian Air Force was ranked 54th globally, while the Nigerian Navy secured the 23rd position, reflecting an overall improvement in the country’s defense capabilities.