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NATIONAL FORCES · COMPARISON
Burkina Faso vs Nigeria
| Overview | Burkina Faso | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
Active personnel DefinitionFull-time active military personnel; exclude reserves and paramilitary unless explicitly identified. | 20,600Estimate · people · November 2025 IISS assessmentSingle sourceNational full-time active military personnel; the separately reported reserve, gendarmerie and paramilitary totals are excluded. | 148,000Estimate · people · November 2025 IISS assessmentSingle sourceNational full-time active military personnel; the separately reported reserve, gendarmerie and paramilitary totals are excluded. |
Armed forces personnel DefinitionActive-duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces whose training, organisation, equipment and control allow them to support or replace regular forces. This is not an active-regular-only count. | 11,000people · 2020 annual observationSingle source2020 annual observation. Active-duty military personnel, including qualifying paramilitary forces; not an active-regular-only count. | 223,000people · 2020 annual observationSingle source2020 annual observation. Active-duty military personnel, including qualifying paramilitary forces; not an active-regular-only count. |
Defence spending DefinitionAnnual military expenditure in current US dollars. State fiscal year, coverage and conversion basis in notes. | US$1.15bnEstimate · USD · 2025 IISS defence budget assessmentSingle sourceSource-reported annual official defence budget/appropriation in current US dollars; it is a budget figure, not an assertion of final expenditure or readiness. Explicit 2025 economic-table year column; USD 1.15bn. The table was compiled in the November 2025 IISS assessment; this annual figure is an assessment/estimate and does not assert a final audited outturn. | US$2.04bnEstimate · USD · 2025 IISS defence budget assessmentSingle sourceSource-reported annual official defence budget/appropriation in current US dollars; it is a budget figure, not an assertion of final expenditure or readiness. Explicit 2025 economic-table year column; USD 2.04bn. The table was compiled in the November 2025 IISS assessment; this annual figure is an assessment/estimate and does not assert a final audited outturn. |
GDP DefinitionAnnual nominal GDP in current US dollars, not purchasing-power parity. | US$30.7bnEstimate · USD · 2026 IISS nominal GDP forecast (November 2025 assessment)Single sourceAnnual nominal GDP at current market prices, in source-reported current US dollars. Excludes purchasing-power-parity GDP and real GDP growth. Explicit 2026 economic-table year column; USD 30.7bn. The table was compiled in the November 2025 IISS assessment; this annual figure is an assessment/estimate and does not assert a final audited outturn. The explicit 2026 column is forward-looking relative to the November 2025 assessment and is retained as a forecast, not an observed final outturn. | US$334bnEstimate · USD · 2026 IISS nominal GDP forecast (November 2025 assessment)Single sourceAnnual nominal GDP at current market prices, in source-reported current US dollars. Excludes purchasing-power-parity GDP and real GDP growth. Explicit 2026 economic-table year column; USD 334bn. The table was compiled in the November 2025 IISS assessment; this annual figure is an assessment/estimate and does not assert a final audited outturn. The explicit 2026 column is forward-looking relative to the November 2025 assessment and is retained as a forecast, not an observed final outturn. |
Population DefinitionTotal resident population; retain the source's reference year. | 24,074,580people · 2025 annual observationSingle source2025 annual observation. Midyear resident population estimate. | 237,527,782people · 2025 annual observationSingle source2025 annual observation. Midyear resident population estimate. |
Reserve personnel DefinitionReported reserve personnel, with mobilisation and training definitions stated in notes. | 0Estimate · people · 2024 source edition; census date not statedSingle sourceMilitary reserve personnel in the 2024 IISS source edition cited by this Wikipedia row. Reservists are not normally kept under arms and are available for mobilisation. Excludes the separately reported Active military and Paramilitary columns. This is the cited edition year, not an exact census date. | 0Estimate · people · 2024 source edition; census date not statedSingle sourceMilitary reserve personnel in the 2024 IISS source edition cited by this Wikipedia row. Reservists are not normally kept under arms and are available for mobilisation. Excludes the separately reported Active military and Paramilitary columns. This is the cited edition year, not an exact census date. |
Combat aircraft DefinitionIn-service fixed-wing combat aircraft; exclude stored, retired and ordered aircraft. In service does not establish readiness. | —Not yet documented | —Not yet documented |
Main battle tanks DefinitionIn-service main battle tanks; exclude storage and orders. | —Not yet documented | —Not yet documented |
Major surface combatants DefinitionCommissioned cruisers, destroyers and frigates. Exclude patrol craft and support vessels. | —Not yet documented | —Not yet documented |
Nuclear warheads DefinitionWarheads in the military stockpile, deployed or in reserve; exclude retired warheads awaiting dismantlement. Independent estimates, labelled as such. | —Not yet documented | —Not yet documented |
Submarines DefinitionCommissioned submarines; exclude vessels on order and decommissioned vessels. | —Not yet documented | —Not yet documented |
Transport aircraft DefinitionIn-service dedicated fixed-wing military transport aircraft; exclude trainers and orders. | —Not yet documented | —Not yet documented |
EQUIPMENT & WEAPONS
Equipment listed in inventory and operator sources, grouped by force and category. Sourced quantities retain their date, variant coverage and inventory status. Equipment without a documented count is listed by type.
226 matching equipment types
| Equipment | Burkina Faso | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||
| JF-17 Thunder | — | 3Air Force · 2025 |
| Support aircraft | ||
| Airbus A330 | — | 1Air Force · 2025 |
| Beechcraft King Air | 12024 | — |
| Beechcraft Super King Air | 12024Wikipedia 1Air Force · 2024Wikipedia | — |
| Boeing 727 | 1Air Force · 2025 | — |
| Boeing 737 | — | In service |
| C295 | 1Air Force · 2025 1Air Force · 2024Wikipedia | — |
| CASA/IPTN CN-235 | 1Air Force · 2025 | — |
| Cessna Citation I | — | 1Security and Civil Defence Corps · 2025 |
| Cessna Citation II | — | 1Air Force · 2025 |
| Dassault Falcon 7X | — | 2Air Force · 2025 |
| Dassault Falcon 900 | — | 1Air Force · 2025 |
| Equipment | Burkina Faso | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Tanks | ||
| AMX-30 | — | In service |
| FV101 Scorpion | — | 154Army · 2025 157Nigerian Army · 2026Wikipedia |
| T-54/T-55 | — | 100Nigerian Army · 2026Wikipedia |
| T-72 | — | 41Army · 2025 10Nigerian Army · 2026Wikipedia |
| Vickers MBT Mark 3 | — | In service |
| VT-4 | — | ≥6Army · 2025 ≥6Nigerian Army · 2025 |
| Armoured vehicles | ||
| ACMAT Bastion | ≥192024Wikipedia | — |
| Alvis Saladin | — | In service |
| Alvis Saracen | — | 10Army · 2025 |
| BAE Caiman | — | 14Army · 2025 14Nigerian Army · 2025 |
| BMP-1 | — | 22Army · 2025 22Nigerian Army · 2024Wikipedia |
| BTR-3 | — | 4Security and Civil Defence Corps · 2025 47Nigerian Army · 2026Wikipedia |
| Equipment | Burkina Faso | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Air defence | ||
| DARDO | — | In service |
| Roland (missile) | — | 16Army · 2025 16Nigerian Army · 2026Wikipedia |
| ZSU-23-4 Shilka | — | 29Army · 2025 29Nigerian Army · 2025 |
| Anti-aircraft guns | ||
| M45 quad mount | 12Army · 2025 | — |
| ZPU | 30Army · 2025 | In service |
| ZU-23-2 | — | 350Nigerian Army · 2026Wikipedia |
| Portable air defence | ||
| 9K32 Strela-2 | In service | 100Nigerian Army · 2026Wikipedia |
| Blowpipe (missile) | — | In service |
| Counter-drone & directed energy | ||
| EDM4S | — | In service |
| Missiles | ||
| Hydra 70 | — | In service |
| K-13 (missile) | — | In service |
| Equipment | Burkina Faso | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Small arms | ||
| AA-52 machine gun | In service | — |
| AK Alfa | — | In service |
| AK-103 | — | In service |
| AK-47 | In service | In service |
| AK-74 | — | In service |
| AKM | — | In service |
| Beretta 92 | — | In service |
| Beretta AR70/90 | In service | In service |
| Beretta BM 59 | — | In service |
| Beretta M12 | In service | In service |
| Beretta M1951 | — | In service |
| Bor rifle | — | In service |
| Equipment | Burkina Faso | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Radar & sensors | ||
| AN/PVS-7 | — | In service |
Coverage is incomplete. “Not documented” means no linked inventory evidence, not zero equipment. Methodology ↗
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 cited source period | 5 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 24 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 2 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 2 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | ≥5 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 63 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 30 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 6 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 12 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 8 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 24 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 5 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 2 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 30 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | superseded |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated | 5 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated | 19 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated | 28 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated | 40 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated | 3 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated | 8 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 6 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 40 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 28 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 8 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 19 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 3 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 5 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
No shared land boundary is represented in the Natural Earth dataset. Approximate separation between the dataset’s country label points: 1,000 km.
Generalized geography from Natural Earth 1:110m, version 5.1.1. Label-point distance is calculated on a sphere and rounded to the nearest 100 km; it is not a capital-to-capital distance, route, border distance or operational range. Dataset boundaries do not imply recognition of territorial claims.
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:110m, v5.1.1 · Public domain · Research catalogue highlighted
Scores out of 100 on the ForceTally Index. Each bar splits in proportion to the two scores. A point at the centre of the chart means no sourced figure for that part.
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 cited source period | 22 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | ≥3 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 34 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 9 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | superseded |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 60 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | ≥6 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 41 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 128 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 9 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 3 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 47 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 120 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 4 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 2 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 72 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 16 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 2 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | ≥7 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 14 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 29 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | ≥6 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 31 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | superseded |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 7 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 40 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | superseded |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 65 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 2 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | superseded |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 49 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 7 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 3 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 154 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 50 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 3 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 4 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 5 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 70 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | ≥4 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated | 6 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |