Comparison of Nigeria and South Africa Military Strengths (2024)

GLOBAL FIREPOWER | UTILITY

Side-by-side comparison showcasing the relative conventional fighting strengths of Nigeria and South Africa for the year 2024.

The selected countries for comparison, Nigeria and South Africa, are displayed below in side-by-side format. The Primary selection is displayed in Blue while the Secondary selection is displayed in Red. Go back to compare two other military powers.

The side-by-side comparison provides a theoretical look at war footing between two potential (or active) military rivals.

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COUNTRIES

Nigeria

PwrIndx: 0.5619
Score of 0.0000 being optimal.
(Rnk 39 of 145)

South Africa

PwrIndx: 0.4632
Score of 0.0000 being optimal.
(Rnk 33 of 145)

COMPARISON BRIEF

✓

Manpower

✕

✓

Airpower ✕ South Africa national flag image

✓

Land Power ✕ South Africa national flag image

✕

Naval Power ✓ South Africa national flag image

✓

Nat.Resources ✕ South Africa national flag image

✓

Financials ✕ South Africa national flag image

✓

Logistics ✕ South Africa national flag image

✓

Geography ✕ South Africa national flag image

MANPOWER

Total Population (Rnk 6)
230,842,743
(Diff: 172,794,411)

Total Population (Rnk 25)
58,048,332
(Diff: -172,794,411)

Available Manpower (Rnk 5)
122,346,654
(Diff: 95,644,421)

Available Manpower (Rnk 25)
26,702,233
(Diff: -95,644,421)

Fit-for-Service (Rnk 5)
88,181,928
(Diff: 73,785,942)

Fit-for-Service (Rnk 35)
14,395,986
(Diff: -73,785,942)

Reaching Mil. Age Annually (Rnk 6)
4,155,169
(Diff: 3,168,347)

Reaching Mil. Age Annually (Rnk 22)
986,822
(Diff: -3,168,347)

Active Personnel (Rnk 21)
230,000
(Diff: 158,765)

Active Personnel (Rnk 56)
71,235
(Diff: -158,765)

Reserve Personnel (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: -29,350)

Reserve Personnel (Rnk 61)
29,350
(Diff: 29,350)

Paramilitary Forces (Rnk 24)
50,000
(Diff: 0)

FINANCIALS

Defense Budget (Rnk 56)
$4,000,000,000
(Diff: $1,304,653,850)

Defense Budget (Rnk 63)
$2,695,346,150
(Diff: $-1,304,653,850)

External Debt (Rnk 47)
$27,000,000,000
(Diff: $-153,000,000,000)

External Debt (Rnk 80)
$180,000,000,000
(Diff: $153,000,000,000)

Foreign Reserve (Rnk 52)
$37,750,000,000
(Diff: $-19,847,000,000)

Foreign Reserve (Rnk 40)
$57,597,000,000
(Diff: $19,847,000,000)

Purchasing Power (Rnk 25)
$1,050,000,000,000
(Diff: $259,375,000,000)

Purchasing Power (Rnk 32)
$790,625,000,000
(Diff: $-259,375,000,000)

AIRPOWER

Total Aircraft (Rnk 57)
147
(Diff: -47)

Total Aircraft (Rnk 49)
194
(Diff: 47)

Fighter Aircraft (Rnk 56)
14
(Diff: 12)

Fighter Aircraft (Rnk 66)
2
(Diff: -12)

Dedicated Attack (Rnk 30)
24
(Diff: 24)

Dedicated Attack (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: -24)

Transports (Rnk 33)
20
(Diff: 4)

Transports (Rnk 36)
16
(Diff: -4)

Trainers (Rnk 58)
27
(Diff: -52)

Trainers (Rnk 32)
79
(Diff: 52)

Special-Mission (Rnk 26)
9
(Diff: 3)

Special-Mission (Rnk 29)
6
(Diff: -3)

Aerial Tankers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: 0)

Helicopters (Rnk 58)
53
(Diff: -38)

Helicopters (Rnk 40)
91
(Diff: 38)

Attack Helicopters (Rnk 32)
15
(Diff: 3)

Attack Helicopters (Rnk 35)
12
(Diff: -3)

LAND POWER

Tank Strength (Rnk 37)
343
(Diff: 148)

Tank Strength (Rnk 60)
195
(Diff: -148)

Armored Vehicles (Rnk 59)
6,404
(Diff: -5,736)

Armored Vehicles (Rnk 40)
12,140
(Diff: 5,736)

Self-Propelled Artillery (Rnk 59)
32
(Diff: -17)

Self-Propelled Artillery (Rnk 51)
49
(Diff: 17)

Towed Artillery (Rnk 33)
339
(Diff: 235)

Towed Artillery (Rnk 60)
104
(Diff: -235)

Mobile Rocket Projectors (Rnk 53)
37
(Diff: -64)

Mobile Rocket Projectors (Rnk 36)
101
(Diff: 64)

NAVAL POWER

Fleet Strength (Rnk 24)
133
(Diff: 86)

Fleet Strength (Rnk 52)
47
(Diff: -86)

Aircraft Carriers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: 0)

Helo Carriers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: 0)

Submarines (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: -3)

Submarines (Rnk 18)
3
(Diff: 3)

Destroyers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: 0)

Frigates (Rnk 16)
1
(Diff: -3)

Frigates (Rnk 13)
4
(Diff: 3)

Corvettes (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: 0)

Patrol Vessels (Rnk 9)
109
(Diff: 78)

Patrol Vessels (Rnk 34)
31
(Diff: -78)

Mine Warfare (Rnk 20)
2
(Diff: 0)

LOGISTICS

Airports (Rnk 75)
54
(Diff: -353)

Airports (Rnk 19)
407
(Diff: 353)

Merchant Marine (Rnk 22)
832
(Diff: 725)

Merchant Marine (Rnk 65)
107
(Diff: -725)

Ports & Terminals (Rnk 17)
4
(Diff: -2)

Ports & Terminals (Rnk 15)
6
(Diff: 2)

Labor Force (Rnk 10)
65,116,000
(Diff: 42,718,000)

Labor Force (Rnk 29)
22,398,000
(Diff: -42,718,000)

Roadways (Rnk 29)
195,000km
(Diff: -555,000km)

Roadways (Rnk 11)
750,000km
(Diff: 555,000km)

Roadways (Rnk 51)
3,798km
(Diff: -17,188km)

Roadways (Rnk 13)
20,986km
(Diff: 17,188km)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Oil Production (Rnk 15)
1,647,000bbl
(Diff: 1,547,000bbl)

Oil Production (Rnk 43)
100,000bbl
(Diff: -1,547,000bbl)

Oil Consumption (Rnk 82)
485,000bbl
(Diff: -138,000bbl)

Oil Consumption (Rnk 86)
623,000bbl
(Diff: 138,000bbl)

Proven Oil Reserves (Rnk 11)
37,000,000,000bbl
(Diff: 36,985,000,000bbl)

Proven Oil Reserves (Rnk 70)
15,000,000bbl
(Diff: -36,985,000,000bbl)

Natural Gas Production (Rnk 17)
46,296,835,000bbl
(Diff: 45,067,291,000bbl)

Natural Gas Production (Rnk 60)
1,229,544,000bbl
(Diff: -45,067,291,000bbl)

Natural Gas Consumption (Rnk 71)
18,787,602,000bbl
(Diff: 14,016,051,000bbl)

Natural Gas Consumption (Rnk 47)
4,771,551,000bbl
(Diff: -14,016,051,000bbl)

Proven Nat.Gas Reserves (Rnk 9)
5,760,883,000,000bbl
(Diff: 5,760,883,000,000bbl)

Proven Nat.Gas Reserves (Rnk 145)
0bbl
(Diff: -5,760,883,000,000bbl)

Coal Production (Rnk 71)
44,000bbl
(Diff: -248,344,000bbl)

Coal Production (Rnk 7)
248,388,000bbl
(Diff: 248,344,000bbl)

Coal Consumption (Rnk 20)
85,000bbl
(Diff: -170,223,000bbl)

Coal Consumption (Rnk 110)
170,308,000bbl
(Diff: 170,223,000bbl)

Proven Coal Reserves (Rnk 47)
344,000,000bbl
(Diff: -9,549,000,000bbl)

Proven Coal Reserves (Rnk 12)
9,893,000,000bbl
(Diff: 9,549,000,000bbl)

GEOGRAPHY

Square Land Area (Rnk 31)
923,768km
(Diff: -295,322km)

Square Land Area (Rnk 24)
1,219,090km
(Diff: 295,322km)

Shared Border (Rnk 93)
4,477km
(Diff: -767km)

Shared Border (Rnk 101)
5,244km
(Diff: 767km)

Coastline (Rnk 39)
853km
(Diff: -1,945km)

Coastline (Rnk 73)
2,798km
(Diff: 1,945km)

Waterways (Rnk 17)
8,600km
(Diff: 8,600km)

Waterways (Rnk 145)
0km
(Diff: -8,600km)

Going Further...

View details of the countries showcased above.

2024 Military Strength of
Nigeria

2024 Military Strength of
South Africa

Top Visiting Countries (May, 2024)

68.3%

11.1%

6.9%

4.4%

4.0%

2.8%

2.4%

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