Infographic: 5 Sub-Saharan African Countries with the Largest Armies (2024)

African armies have undergone significant changes since African nations won independence from colonial rule. Once mainly small constabulary forces relegated to the maintenance of internal order, these armies have become larger, more modern institutions, largely in response to growing external security threats. The characteristics of Africa’s changing military environment easiest to quantify are the growth of the armies and the increase in modern weaponry. Three overlapping debates dominated the literature on the military in developing countries during the 1960s and 1970s. They revolved initially around the conditions of democracy and civilian control. They shifted to the role of the military in modernization or development as armies moved into politics, then focused on political order following deep hegemonic crises in developing countries themselves and in their relations with the West.

Many African armies suffer from a bad reputation. They are often poorly trained and ineffective. The reasons are manifold, including underfunding, which is often revealed when armies need to combat insurgents, as seen in Nigeria and Mozambique. In addition, armies are to blame for military coups backed by political actors, as happened in Mali, Guinea, and Sudan. The number of attempted or successful coups declined from 2010 to 2019, according to a study called “Global Instances of Coups From 1950 to 2010: A New Dataset” found. But, in 2021, their number suddenly grew to six, a worrying trend for many analysts.

In a recent global power ranking of 145 nations, it is evident that the size of a nation’s economy or population does not necessarily correlate with the size of its military or defence budget. Smaller economies can have significant numbers of active soldiers or substantial defence budgets, as different countries prioritize different aspects of bolstering their peacekeeping efforts. According to the Global Fire Power Index 2024, which considers over 60 individual measurement factors including the quantity of military units, financial standing, logistical capabilities, and geography to determine countries’ scores, smaller, technologically advanced nations can effectively compete with larger, less developed nations. The list of five sub-Saharan African countries with the largest armies in 2024, focusing specifically on the current number of active soldiers are listed as follows:

Facts & Figures

1. Nigeria

The country has a total of 280,000 military personnel, with 230,000 being active duty and 50,000 in the paramilitary. There are no reserve personnel in the country. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and is ranked sixth globally in terms of military manpower, with an annual influx of 4.15 million reaching military age. Nigeria is ranked 39th globally and has an annual defence budget of US$4 billion.

2. South Sudan

This country with a total of 185,000 active soldiers and no reserve or paramilitary does not feature in Africa’s top 10 military powers but has a slot of top countries with the largest armies. South Sudan is ranked 24th in Africa and 119th globally, with a defence budget of US$302 million.

3. Democratic Republic of Congo

The country has a total military personnel of 207,580 with 166,580 being active, 31,000 in reserves, and 10,000 in paramilitary. DR Congo is ranked 73rd globally with a defence budget of US$300 million. Annually, 2.46 million individuals become eligible for military service, making DR Congo one of the top 10 countries substantial military manpower.

4. Ethiopia

The country has a total of 162,000 active military personnel and does not have reserve units or paramilitaries. Ethiopia ranks 9th globally in terms of the number of people reaching military age, with 2.67 million individuals. Ethiopia is ranked 49th globally in terms of its annual defence budget, which stands at US$888 million.

5. Angola