Nigeria vs United Kingdom: Military personnel
Nigeria
143,000 people
in 2022
United Kingdom
150,000 people
in 2022
Nigeria rank
35th
United Kingdom rank
33rd
Military personnel over time
- Nigeria
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 150,000 people against 143,000 people in Nigeria, a difference of 7,000 people.
Across all 63 years both countries report, United Kingdom has been ahead every year.
Nigeria ranks 35th and United Kingdom ranks 33rd of 194 countries.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Nigeria | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 35,300 people | 442,900 people | 407,600 people | United Kingdom |
| 1970s | 263,800 people | 352,100 people | 88,300 people | United Kingdom |
| 1980s | 135,000 people | 331,000 people | 196,000 people | United Kingdom |
| 1990s | 80,900 people | 253,800 people | 172,900 people | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 79,100 people | 201,000 people | 121,900 people | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 93,100 people | 162,600 people | 69,500 people | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 143,000 people | 150,333 people | 7,333 people | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military personnel, Nigeria or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 150,000 people against 143,000 people in Nigeria as of 2022.
- What is the difference in military personnel between Nigeria and United Kingdom?
- 7,000 people, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and United Kingdom?
- 63 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2022.
- How do Nigeria and United Kingdom rank globally for military personnel?
- Nigeria ranks 35th and United Kingdom ranks 33rd of 194 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Military personnel. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.