Africa is home to one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in the world, and as more young people come of age, the number of citizens eligible for military service is skyrocketing.
Africa is home to one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in the world, and as more young people come of age, the number of citizens eligible for military service is skyrocketing.
Every year, millions of Africans reach the age where they can enlist, adding to the military potential of their countries. This surge in military-age youth is both an opportunity and a challenge for many African countries.
In regions facing political unrest, insurgencies, or border conflicts, having a large pool of military-ready citizens is critical. At the same time, some countries are using their growing youth population to strengthen peacekeeping efforts and regional security.
According to the Global Firepower report, having a large population doesn’t always mean a country has a substantial pool of fit and capable individuals for military service, although larger populations generally offer an advantage.
According to the report, which tracked the portion of the population reaching military age annually, Nigeria leads the continent with 4,155,169 citizens, ranking 6th globally.
Ethiopia follows closely with 2,678,642 citizens, placing 9th, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo ranks 10th with 2,460,918 citizens reaching military age.
Below are the top 10 African countries with the most citizens reaching military age:
| Rank | Country | Reaching Mil.Age Yrly | Global rank |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Nigeria |
4,155,169 |
6th |
|
2 |
Ethiopia |
2,678, 642 |
9th |
|
3 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
2,460,918 |
10th |
|
4 |
Egypt |
1,643,201 |
14th |
|
5 |
Sudan |
1,279,136 |
17th |
|
6 |
South Africa |
986,822 |
22nd |
|
7 |
Uganda |
954,599 |
23rd |
|
8 |
Kenya |
912,832 |
24th |
|
9 |
Algeria |
716,134 |
31st |
|
10 |
Morocco |
630,146 |
35th |
