Even The Best-Funded Military in Africa Only Has 3% of the US Budget

Across the African continent, rising defense budgets are potentially signaling a shifting landscape in military strategy and even regional influence. Countries like Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa are pushing billions towards expanding and modernizing their armed forces, but these defense budgets still pale in comparison to that of the United States. While some of these African countries rank fairly high in terms of military strength on a global level, their collective defense budgets don’t even add up to what the US military is funding on an annual basis. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the military budgets of African countries.

To determine the African countries with the largest military defense budgets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2025 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is. We ranked these countries based on their military defense budget. We also included supplemental information regarding purchasing power parity, foreign exchange/gold reserves, external debt, a composition of military assets, as well as the overall military strength score.

Here is a look at the countries with the largest defense budgets in Africa:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the military dynamics of Africa is important due to the continent’s strategic geopolitical significance. The continent is known for some instability, and military power is one way of ensuring stability both political and economical. Many of these African nations are growing rapidly and the continued stability of this region is crucial.

38. Central African Republic

• Military defense budget: $45,990,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $374,405,000
• Purchasing power parity: $5,849,000,000
• External debt: $666,293,000
• Total military aircraft: 6
• Total military vehicles: 228
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 4.2347 – #142 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for the Central African Republic’s 11,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 5.651 million.

37. Burkina Faso

• Military defense budget: $81,280,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $47,138,000
• Purchasing power parity: $57,152,000,000
• External debt: $3,145,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 25
• Total military vehicles: 491
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.9734 – #129 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Burkina Faso’s 16,500 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 23.04 million.

36. Benin

• Military defense budget: $98,350,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $698,900,000
• Purchasing power parity: $52,510,000,000
• External debt: $4,066,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 5
• Total military vehicles: 92
• Total naval vessels: 2
• Military strength score and world rank: 4.3156 – #143 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Benin’s 4,750 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 14.70 million.

35. Madagascar

• Military defense budget: $112,210,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $2,632,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $51,255,000,000
• External debt: $3,028,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 5
• Total military vehicles: 158
• Total naval vessels: 6
• Military strength score and world rank: 3.0609 – #130 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Madagascar’s 21,600 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 29.45 million.

34. Somalia

• Military defense budget: $171,002,350
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $16,747,500
• Purchasing power parity: $26,351,000,000
• External debt: $5,830,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 0
• Total military vehicles: 682
• Total naval vessels: 10
• Military strength score and world rank: 4.2037 – #141 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Somalia’s 17,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 13.02 million.

33. South Sudan

• Military defense budget: $175,300,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $183,615,000
• Purchasing power parity: $20,010,000,000
• External debt: $2,475,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 20
• Total military vehicles: 1,950
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.4321 – #113 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for South Sudan’s 185,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 12.70 million.

32. Eritrea

• Military defense budget: $198,000,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $225,014,976
• Purchasing power parity: $9,702,000,000
• External debt: $635,504,500
• Total military aircraft: 20
• Total military vehicles: 860
• Total naval vessels: 23
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.6985 – #120 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Eritrea’s 250,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 6.344 million.

31. Sierra Leone

• Military defense budget: $228,600,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $495,699,000
• Purchasing power parity: $14,633,000,000
• External debt: $2,687,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 1
• Total military vehicles: 150
• Total naval vessels: 7
• Military strength score and world rank: 3.9701 – #140 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Sierra Leone’s 13,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 9.121 million.

30. Mauritania

• Military defense budget: $261,250,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $2,629,290,500
• Purchasing power parity: $30,395,000,000
• External debt: $3,661,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 24
• Total military vehicles: 628
• Total naval vessels: 6
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.7977 – #123 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Mauritania’s 102,540 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 4.328 million.

29. Gabon

• Military defense budget: $274,820,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $1,568,196,000
• Purchasing power parity: $48,201,000,000
• External debt: $6,280,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 24
• Total military vehicles: 424
• Total naval vessels: 5
• Military strength score and world rank: 3.1805 – #133 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Gabon’s 7,300 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 2.455 million.

28. Republic of the Congo

• Military defense budget: $306,400,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $715,391,000
• Purchasing power parity: $38,163,000,000
• External debt: $5,741,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 13
• Total military vehicles: 644
• Total naval vessels: 4
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.7282 – #121 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for the Republic of the Congo’s 11,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 6.098 million.

27. Ghana

• Military defense budget: $308,500,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $3,624,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $229,639,000,000
• External debt: $22,550,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 19
• Total military vehicles: 1,824
• Total naval vessels: 28
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.3775 – #110 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Ghana’s 15,500 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 34.59 million.

26. Niger

• Military defense budget: $336,400,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $1,442,772,000
• Purchasing power parity: $44,561,000,000
• External debt: $3,844,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 26
• Total military vehicles: 456
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.6689 – #119 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Niger’s 30,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 26.34 million.

25. Sudan

• Military defense budget: $342,000,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $206,763,700
• Purchasing power parity: $136,039,000,000
• External debt: $37,846,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 165
• Total military vehicles: 2,900
• Total naval vessels: 6
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.4756 – #74 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Sudan’s 194,500 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 50.47 million.

24. Liberia

• Military defense budget: $364,800,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $599,660,000
• Purchasing power parity: $8,884,000,000
• External debt: $830,923,000
• Total military aircraft: 0
• Total military vehicles: 300
• Total naval vessels: 4
• Military strength score and world rank: 3.7781 – #138 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Liberia’s 7,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 5.437 million.

23. Namibia

• Military defense budget: $370,500,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $2,956,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $29,944,000,000
• External debt: $8,800,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 34
• Total military vehicles: 2,094
• Total naval vessels: 15
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.6384 – #116 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Namibia’s 18,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 2.804 million.

22. Chad

• Military defense budget: $381,350,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $211,591,000
• Purchasing power parity: $32,446,000,000
• External debt: $2,038,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 40
• Total military vehicles: 3,316
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.8712 – #84 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Chad’s 38,250 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 19.09 million.

21. Zambia

• Military defense budget: $394,240,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $2,861,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $76,493,000,000
• External debt: $13,200,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 77
• Total military vehicles: 424
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.3411 – #109 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Zambia’s 16,350 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 20.80 million.

20. Mozambique

• Military defense budget: $412,400,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $3,515,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $50,631,000,000
• External debt: $12,100,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 22
• Total military vehicles: 872
• Total naval vessels: 33
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.9265 – #89 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Mozambique’s 14,200 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 33.35 million.

19. Senegal

• Military defense budget: $465,150,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $889,295,000
• Purchasing power parity: $77,382,000,000
• External debt: $11,326,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 40
• Total military vehicles: 1,740
• Total naval vessels: 4
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.8116 – #125 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Senegal’s 17,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 18.85 million.

18. Botswana

• Military defense budget: $465,600,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $4,756,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $46,742,000,000
• External debt: $1,853,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 45
• Total military vehicles: 1,224
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.7509 – #122 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Botswana’s 21,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 2.451 million.

17. Zimbabwe

• Military defense budget: $530,800,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $115,530,000
• Purchasing power parity: $58,583,000,000
• External debt: $11,000,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 95
• Total military vehicles: 828
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.3863 – #111 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Zimbabwe’s 50,800 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 17.15 million.

16. Cameroon

• Military defense budget: $554,952,283
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $5,754,093,000
• Purchasing power parity: $138,925,000,000
• External debt: $9,506,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 35
• Total military vehicles: 430
• Total naval vessels: 51
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.0501 – #93 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Cameroon’s 52,500 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 30.97 million.

15. Mali

• Military defense budget: $650,386,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $647,800,000
• Purchasing power parity: $57,235,000,000
• External debt: $4,057,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 43
• Total military vehicles: 570
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.2379 – #104 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Mali’s 44,800 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 21.99 million.

14. Ivory Coast

• Military defense budget: $669,600,935
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $7,583,484,000
• Purchasing power parity: $202,758,000,000
• External debt: $19,311,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 19
• Total military vehicles: 656
• Total naval vessels: 3
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.1796 – #102 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Ivory Coast’s 27,500 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 29.98 million.

13. Democratic Republic of Congo

• Military defense budget: $796,560,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $3,898,125,000
• Purchasing power parity: $154,012,000,000
• External debt: $4,994,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 46
• Total military vehicles: 916
• Total naval vessels: 16
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.3111 – #66 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Democratic Republic of Congo’s 207,580 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 115.40 million.

12. Uganda

• Military defense budget: $985,400,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $3,506,500,000
• Purchasing power parity: $135,668,000,000
• External debt: $11,818,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 51
• Total military vehicles: 3,862
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.4767 – #114 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Uganda’s 55,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 49.28 million.

11. Angola

• Military defense budget: $1,101,360,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $13,942,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $265,868,000,000
• External debt: $45,774,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 298
• Total military vehicles: 5,500
• Total naval vessels: 31
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.0961 – #56 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Angola’s 117,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 37.20 million.

10. Kenya

• Military defense budget: $1,307,383,850
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $7,342,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $314,063,000,000
• External debt: $30,514,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 156
• Total military vehicles: 4,128
• Total naval vessels: 23
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.8135 – #83 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Kenya’s 75,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 58.25 million.

9. Tunisia

• Military defense budget: $1,400,000,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $9,240,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $153,637,000,000
• External debt: $27,084,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 154
• Total military vehicles: 7,913
• Total naval vessels: 58
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.9538 – #90 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Tunisia’s 101,800 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 12.05 million.

8. Tanzania

• Military defense budget: $1,406,745,334
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $5,693,050,000
• Purchasing power parity: $234,050,000,000
• External debt: $18,983,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 39
• Total military vehicles: 1,072
• Total naval vessels: 12
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.0416 – #92 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Tanzania’s 113,500 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 67.46 million.

7. Ethiopia

• Military defense budget: $2,097,575,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $3,131,288,000
• Purchasing power parity: $354,604,000,000
• External debt: $25,761,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 103
• Total military vehicles: 7,256
• Total naval vessels: 0
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.9305 – #52 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Ethiopia’s 162,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 118.55 million.

6. South Africa

• Military defense budget: $2,266,800,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $62,492,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $862,981,000,000
• External debt: $58,773,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 182
• Total military vehicles: 18,692
• Total naval vessels: 49
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.6889 – #40 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for South Africa’s 150,585 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 60.44 million.

5. Libya

• Military defense budget: $3,060,000,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $92,427,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $121,951,000,000
• External debt: $3,322,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 143
• Total military vehicles: 1,816
• Total naval vessels: 5
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.4449 – #73 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Libya’s 132,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 7.361 million.

4. Nigeria

• Military defense budget: $3,160,000,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $41,349,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $1,275,000,000,000
• External debt: $32,455,500,000
• Total military aircraft: 163
• Total military vehicles: 8,962
• Total naval vessels: 133
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.5771 – #31 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Nigeria’s 280,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 236.75 million.

3. Egypt

• Military defense budget: $5,879,500,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $33,070,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $1,912,000,000,000
• External debt: $103,750,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 1,093
• Total military vehicles: 41,012
• Total naval vessels: 150
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.3427 – #19 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Egypt’s 1,220,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 111.25 million.

2. Morocco

• Military defense budget: $13,400,000,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $36,328,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $337,480,000,000
• External debt: $45,645,000,000
• Total military aircraft: 260
• Total military vehicles: 7,877
• Total naval vessels: 111
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.1273 – #59 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Morocco’s 395,800 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 37.39 million.

1. Algeria

• Military defense budget: $25,000,000,000
• Foreign exchange and gold reserves: $81,217,000,000
• Purchasing power parity: $699,947,000,000
• External debt: $3,335,624,000
• Total military aircraft: 608
• Total military vehicles: 26,000
• Total naval vessels: 110
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.3589 – #20 out of 145

All of these finances go to pay for Algeria’s 610,000 total military personnel. It also has a total population of 47.02 million.

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