European Union vs Nigeria: Armed forces personnel, total

European Union
1.91 million
in 2020
Nigeria
223,000
in 2020
European Union rank
1st
Nigeria rank
30th

Armed forces personnel, total over time

  • European Union
  • Nigeria
01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M198520022020

How they compare

European Union currently reports 1.91 million against 223,000 in Nigeria, a difference of 1.69 million.

That makes European Union's figure about 8.6 times Nigeria's.

Across all 33 years both countries report, European Union has been ahead every year.

European Union ranks 1st and Nigeria ranks 30th of 2 regions.

European Union has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade European Union Nigeria Difference Ahead
1980s 3.24 million 100,500 3.14 million European Union
1990s 3.20 million 93,620 3.11 million European Union
2000s 2.44 million 155,700 2.29 million European Union
2010s 1.98 million 187,100 1.80 million European Union
2020s 1.91 million 223,000 1.69 million European Union

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher armed forces personnel, total, European Union or Nigeria?
European Union, at 1.91 million against 223,000 in Nigeria as of 2020.
What is the difference in armed forces personnel, total between European Union and Nigeria?
1.69 million, with European Union ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for European Union and Nigeria?
33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
How do European Union and Nigeria rank globally for armed forces personnel, total?
European Union ranks 1st and Nigeria ranks 30th of 2 regions.
Where does this data come from?
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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European Union vs Nigeria: Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/armed-forces-personnel-total/european-union/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel, total
Source
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
219 places, 6,823 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.