The weakness of African militaries stems from a combination of economic limitations, political challenges, and structural issues.
Many African nations have constrained economies, leading to limited budgets for defense spending. With priorities often focused on addressing pressing issues like healthcare, education, and infrastructure, military investment takes a backseat.
Security challenges in Africa
African countries with weaker militaries are not free from internal crises or terrorist attacks, as these issues remain pervasive across the continent.
These internal challenges are compounded by fragile governance structures and limited resources, which hinder effective conflict resolution and state control.
A report by The Africa Center for Strategic Studies reveals that militant Islamist violence in Africa reached record levels in 2024, primarily due to heightened conflict in the Sahel.
The region accounted for over half of all such activity, with fatalities nearly tripling since 2020 to around 11,000.
Groups like Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) have intensified attacks and expanded their control in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, pushing further south and west.
There is also the heavy reliance on foreign aid for equipment, training, and operational support. This dependence often results in outdated or second-hand equipment and limited autonomy in decision-making.
Addressing these requires long-term investments in defense, improved governance, and stronger regional collaboration.
Business Insider Africa previously highlighted the African countries with the strongest military strength. The article revealed nations making significant progress in equipping their militaries through training and the acquisition of battle-ready equipment.
The report, sourced from Global Firepower, emphasized that North African countries place greater importance on strong military forces compared to their counterparts in other regions.
The Global Firepower formula is structured to enable smaller, technologically advanced nations to compete with larger, less-developed powers.
A perfect Power Index (PwrIndx) score of 0.0000 is virtually unattainable. Hence, the closer a nation’s PwrIndx score is to zero, the stronger its conventional military capabilities are deemed to be.
This report will be highlighting 10 African countries with weakest military strength according to the 2025 Global Firepower index;
| Rank | Country | Power Index score |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Benin |
4.31 |
|
2 |
CAR |
4.23 |
|
3 |
Somalia |
4.20 |
|
4 |
Sierra Leone |
3.97 |
|
5 |
Liberia |
3.77 |
|
6 |
Gabon |
3.18 |
|
7 |
Madagascar |
3.06 |
|
8 |
Burkina Faso |
2.97 |
|
9 |
Senegal |
2.81 |
|
10 |
Mauritania |
2.79 |
Benin ranked first as the country with the weakest military, scoring 4.31.
The Central African Republic followed in second place with a score of 4.23, while Somalia secured third place with a score of 4.20.
This data shows that West Africa leads with the weakest militaries in 2025, with eight countries represented.
In comparison, Southern Africa (Madagascar) and East Africa (Somalia) each have one country represented.
