By The African Exponent
There have been rankings in the past years since 2010 which reveal the military strength of African nations, from strongest to weakest. But this is the first time that the African military, by countries, has been ranked on the basis of their financial strength.
Every year, the Annual Defense Review reveals the countries with the strongest military in the continent. The 2022 report revealed that the African countries with the strongest military presently are Egypt, South Africa, and Algeria, in the first, second, and third positions, respectively. They have a PwrIndx Score of 0.1869, 0.4276, and 0.4724, respectively.
Does the wealth of a country’s military determine its strength? This was the question the experts behind the current review were out to answer. Another point that the review in question aimed to address is the impact of the presence of foreign military camps on the wealth and strength of African militaries.
For instance, the Republic of Niger currently has two military bases in its country – Air Base 101 in Niamey and Air Base 201 located in Agadez. Both these airbases are located in the West African country of Niger. Both bases are operated by the U.S. military as drone bases.
According to official records of the Armed Forces in the Republic of Niger, the country has 5,200 Army personnel, 300 Air Force assets, 1,400 Gendarmerie, and 2,500 Republican Guard. In structure, it has 4 armoured reconnaissance squadrons, 7 infantry companies, 2 airborne companies, 1 engineer company, 1 air defense company, and 1 counter-terrorist company.
Currently, the country is ranked 106 of 142 out of the countries considered for the annual GFP review. It holds a PwrIndx score of 2.5998 – which is relatively poor. Considering that the country has the presence of foreign military forces, including France and the United States, critics believe this should reflect on the country’s military strength.
France and the United States of America have had a permanent military drone hub in the West African country since 2013, yet there is very little to show for it within the last decade as regards the strength of the country’s military strength.
Unfortunately, the military in Africa has been more engaged within the last decade than it has ever been. This is a result of the visible increase in terrorism targeted at the African state. According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Defense, “violence from militant Islamist groups in Africa has risen 300% over the last decade with 95% of that increase concentrated in the Western Sahel and Somalia.”
Apart from the challenge with local militant groups, there is also the issue of international terrorism and deals with its manifestation in Africa. Does the financial state of a country’s military affect its strength? Let us take a look at the poorest and wealthiest militaries in Africa – the result will surprise you!
To determine the wealthiest and poorest military in Africa, the defense budget of the various countries was evaluated, and here are the results.
Top 15 African Countries with Wealthiest Military in Africa
1. Algeria – $9.7 Billion
2. Nigeria – $5.8 Billion
3. Morocco – $5.4 Billion
4. Egypt – $4.3 Billion
5. Libya – $3.4 Billion
6. South Africa – $2.9 Billion
7. Kenya – $1.1 Billion
8. Tunisia – $1.1 Billion
9. Angola – $1 Billion
10. Uganda – $934 Million
11. Tanzania – $749 Million
12. Ivory Coast – $651 Million
13. Mali – $591 Million
14. Ethiopia – $538 Million
15. Botswana – $473 Million
Top 15 African Countries with Poorest Military in Africa
1. Liberia – $12 Million
2. Sierra Leone – $19 Million
3. Central African Republic – $41 Million
4. Somalia – $61 Million
5. Eritrea – $105 Million
6. Madagascar – $110 Million
7. Zimbabwe – $117 Million
8. Mozambique – $140 Million
9. Mauritius – $251 Million
10. Zambia – $251 Million
11. South Sudan – $276 Million
12. Gabon – $281 Million
13. Niger – $287 Million
14. Sudan – 287 Million
15. Ghana – 289 Million