In this article, we look at the five weakest militaries in Africa. You can read about defense spending patterns in the continent by heading over to the 10 Weakest Militaries in Africa, where we have also discussed the contrast in defense procurement between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
5. Somalia
GDP (2023): $11.51 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $64 million
Manpower: 17,500
Tanks: 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 3,712
Military Aircraft: 0
Naval Assets: 3
Overall Score: 7.5
We begin our list with Somalia, which is not just one of the weakest militaries in Africa, but also in the world, with no military aircraft and battle tanks, and only three naval assets. The country remained under an arms embargo placed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) since 1992 due to the threat of Somalia’s weapons falling into the hands of terrorist groups. The embargo was lifted in December last year after over three decades, which brings hope for the country’s government to enhance its military capabilities.
4. Sierra Leone
GDP (2023): $3.52 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $19 million
Manpower: 13,000
Tanks: 2
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 104
Military Aircraft: 4
Naval Assets: 10
Overall Score: 5.7
Considering the size of the country’s GDP and the understandably meager spending on defense expenditure, it is unlikely that Sierra Leone is going to get out of the top five list for Africa’s weakest militaries any time soon. The country has a small inventory of military equipment, almost all of which is second-hand, and of the Soviet Union era. The two tanks possessed by Sierra Leone were purchased from Ukraine in 1994, and it is doubtful that these are in operational status.
3. Benin
GDP (2023): $19.94 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $75 million
Manpower: 5,000
Tanks: 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 150
Military Aircraft: 2
Naval Assets: 2
Overall Score: 5.45
Benin has in recent years received military assistance from France, especially in the form of armored fighting vehicles, but that has not been sufficient to enhance the country’s military capabilities. It has the fifth weakest military in the world, and the third weakest in Africa, with a manpower of only 5,000 active personnel, no battle tanks, and just two military aircraft and naval assets, each.
2. Central African Republic
GDP (2023): $2.76 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $41 million
Manpower: 10,000
Tanks: 3
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 228
Military Aircraft: 3
Naval Assets: 0
Overall Score: 4.8
The Central African Republic (CAR) has been marred with conflict for decades now, which has earned it the status of being one of the most unstable and unsafe countries in the world. In a bid to expand its political influence, Russia in 2022 donated a L-39 aircraft to the country, and there are reports that Moscow is planning to provide CAR another six of these in the coming years. However, there is still a long way to go before the country can shrug off the tag of being one of the weakest militaries in the world.
1. Liberia
GDP (2023): $4.35 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $12 million
Manpower: 2,000
Tanks: 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 650
Military Aircraft: 0
Naval Assets: 6
Overall Score: 3.2
Liberia has the weakest military in Africa, and the second weakest in the world, with a manpower of only 2,000 active troops. Moreover, it has no tanks, no military aircraft, and only six naval assets – a majority of them being boats. High crime rates and deteriorating law and order have left the country’s citizens feeling vulnerable with no immediate improvement in sight given the size of the country’s GDP and the subsequent low level of defense spending.
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