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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Nigeria

Armed forces personnel in Nigeria in 2020 — 223,000 people. Ranked 30 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 137.2%.

2020 223,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 30of 170
Period maximum 223,000 people2018
Period minimum 76,000 people1992

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Nigeria, 1985–20200100,000200,000300,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 94,000 people1989: 107,000 people1990: 94,000 people1991: 94,000 people1992: 76,000 people1993: 76,000 people1994: 80,000 people1995: 89,100 people1996: 89,100 people1997: 107,000 people1998: 107,000 people1999: 124,000 people2000: 106,500 people2001: 160,500 people2002: 160,500 people2003: 160,500 people2004: 160,000 people2005: 161,000 people2006: 162,000 people2007: 162,000 people2008: 162,000 people2009: 162,000 people2010: 162,000 people2011: 162,000 people2012: 162,000 people2013: 162,000 people2014: 162,000 people2015: 200,000 people2016: 200,000 people2017: 215,000 people2018: 223,000 people2019: 223,000 people2020: 223,000 people
Change over the period: +129,000 (+137.23%) Average annual rate: 2.5 %

Comparison, 2020

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Nigeria

Nigeria 223,000 people
World 27.41M people
Sub-Saharan Africa 1.73M people
Western Africa computed 423,000 people
Lower-middle-income countries computed 9.31M people
Armed forces personnel — Nigeria, by year Nigeria All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 223,000 +0 +0%
2019 223,000 +0 +0%
2018 223,000 +8,000 +3.72%
2017 215,000 +15,000 +7.5%
2016 200,000 +0 +0%
2015 200,000 +38,000 +23.46%
2014 162,000 +0 +0%
2013 162,000 +0 +0%
2012 162,000 +0 +0%
2011 162,000 +0 +0%
2010 162,000 +0 +0%
2009 162,000 +0 +0%
2008 162,000 +0 +0%
2007 162,000 +0 +0%
2006 162,000 +1,000 +0.62%
2005 161,000 +1,000 +0.63%
2004 160,000 −500 −0.31%
2003 160,500 +0 +0%
2002 160,500 +0 +0%
2001 160,500 +54,000 +50.7%
2000 106,500 −17,500 −14.11%
1999 124,000 +17,000 +15.89%
1998 107,000 +0 +0%
1997 107,000 +17,900 +20.09%
1996 89,100 +0 +0%
1995 89,100 +9,100 +11.38%
1994 80,000 +4,000 +5.26%
1993 76,000 +0 +0%
1992 76,000 −18,000 −19.15%
1991 94,000 +0 +0%
1990 94,000 −13,000 −12.15%
1989 107,000 — —
1985 94,000 — —

Western Africa, 2020

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

NG Nigeria 223,000 ML Mali 41,000 CI Côte d'Ivoire 27,000 MR Mauritania 21,000 SN Senegal 19,000 GH Ghana 16,000 GN Guinea 13,000 BJ Benin 12,000 BF Burkina Faso 11,000 NE Niger 10,000 TG Togo 10,000 SL Sierra Leone 9,000 GM Gambia 4,000 GW Guinea-Bissau 4,000 LR Liberia 2,000 CV Cabo Verde 1,000
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The total number of active military personnel: all branches of the armed forces, as well as paramilitary forces if their training, structure and equipment allow them to be used in support of the regular forces. Reservists are not counted. Estimates of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.

Other indicators for Nigeria

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Nigeria by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Nigeria by year Demography Population

Resident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.

Nigeria by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Nigeria by year Defense Arms exports

Transfers of major conventional weapons abroad, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV).

Nigeria by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Nigeria by year
All indicators for Nigeria