https://en.sputniknews.africa/20260204/africas-military-edge-lies-in-homegrown-tech-youth-population-analyst-says-1083121906.html
Africa's Military Edge Lies in Homegrown Tech, Youth Population, Analyst Says
Africa's Military Edge Lies in Homegrown Tech, Youth Population, Analyst Says
Sputnik Africa
In the 2026 Military Strength Ranking, Egypt ranks 19th, Algeria 27th, and Nigeria 33rd globally, reflecting the continent’s expanding military capabilities... 04.02.2026, Sputnik Africa
2026-02-04T16:55+0100
2026-02-04T16:55+0100
2026-02-04T16:55+0100
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Africa's Military Edge Lies in Homegrown Tech, Youth Population, Analyst Says
Sputnik Africa
In the 2026 Military Strength Ranking, Egypt ranks 19th, Algeria 27th, and Nigeria 33rd globally, reflecting the continent’s expanding military capabilities and capacity, investment in modern equipment, and partnerships with international allies.
The latest Global Firepower Index shows that military power in Africa is no longer defined by troop numbers alone, but by sustained investment in modern arms, logistics, and infrastructure. Analysts link the high rankings of nations like Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria to deeper shifts in regional security, where internal conflicts and geopolitical rivalries are fueling a heavy reliance on advanced hardware. However, they contend that real strategic independence will remain out of reach without a parallel breakthrough in homegrown innovation—especially in the critical domains of drones and cyber warfare.To explore this topic, African Currents spoke with Professor Awaisu Imurana Braimah, a political science scholar and dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Education, Winneba, in Ghana. The discussion focused on the significant shifts underway in African armed forces, the reasons behind their rising global rankings, and the capability gaps that need to be addressed for strategic autonomy.Want to hear more from our guest? Catch the full conversation on the African Currents podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.Find our episodes not just on the website, but also on Telegram.► You can also stream our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, Podcast Addict.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents.
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Africa's Military Edge Lies in Homegrown Tech, Youth Population, Analyst Says
In the 2026 Military Strength Ranking, Egypt ranks 19th, Algeria 27th, and Nigeria 33rd globally, reflecting the continent’s expanding military capabilities and capacity, investment in modern equipment, and partnerships with international allies.
The latest
Global Firepower Index shows that military power in Africa is no longer defined by troop numbers alone, but by sustained investment in modern arms, logistics, and infrastructure. Analysts link the high rankings of nations like Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria to deeper shifts in regional security, where internal conflicts and geopolitical rivalries are fueling a heavy reliance on advanced hardware.
However, they contend that real strategic independence will remain out of reach without a parallel breakthrough in homegrown innovation—especially in the critical domains of drones and cyber warfare.
To explore this topic, African Currents spoke with Professor Awaisu Imurana Braimah, a political science scholar and dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Education, Winneba, in Ghana. The discussion focused on the significant shifts underway in African armed forces, the reasons behind their rising global rankings, and the capability gaps that need to be addressed for strategic autonomy.
"The armed forces in Africa were just shaped by colonial legacies, and they [colonialists] thought everything was internal security [...]. Times have changed, and there's a need for a shift—towards collective security to actually deal with issues of threats and all those things [...]. If you have this very productive youth, and you can harness their potential and even bring them into the military, you are going to expand [the military] [...]. Also investing in homegrown technology is key [...]. However, if you look at these countries—Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria—the gap they have is homegrown war technology [...]. Now Burkina Faso, Mali, and other countries are looking up to Russia to actually build their military. And Russia is doing exactly that. So in the next five years, countries that would have toed the line of Russia in partnership, you can be rest assured they will be countries to watch," Professor Braimah noted.
Want to hear more from our guest? Catch the full conversation on the African Currents podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
Find our episodes not just on the website, but also on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents. 
