This African Nation Has a Surprisingly Large Navy

By Chris Lange Sep 2, 2025 9:32 am

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This African Nation Has a Surprisingly Large Navy — © Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

24/7 Wall St. Insights

The African continent is not home to many countries known for their navies
A few African countries truly stand out in terms of their naval forces

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Navies have been an important part of defense since the forming of our earliest civilizations. The Portuguese Navy is the oldest continually serving navy in the world. It dates back to the Middle Ages, having formed in the 12th century. However, as far back as the 6th century BC, the Persians were using Phoenician, Greek, and Egyptian ships for war.

The African continent is not home to many countries known for their navies. Only a handful of nations (Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, sometimes Morocco or Nigeria) are often ranked among the top 30–40 globally.

To identify the African countries with the strongest naval forces, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Countries were ranked on the total number of military ships and submarines in their fleet. We included supplemental information regarding submarines, aircraft carriers, destroyers, corvettes, patrol vessels, and frigates, as well as each country’s overall military strength score. We excluded countries that did not have any naval vessels.

Most African naval fleets are primarily comprised of patrol vessels. Much of this is involved in securing local trade routes against foreign powers or pirates. However, not many of these nations are home to the large ships seen in the Russian or American navies. As previously mentioned, much of Africa’s military priorities tend to be inwardly focused and naval power does not buy as much overall military strength as aircraft or tanks.

Despite this general consensus across the continent, there are a few countries that truly stand out in terms of their naval forces. Egypt, for one, is home to a couple helicopter carriers. These carriers are valuable assets that are able to project power via the attack helicopters they house. But Egypt’s naval strength rests more on frigates, corvettes, submarines, and U.S./European support. Also, Egypt’s incredible naval power is largely due to the fact that it controls the Suez Canal, which is one of the most trafficked routes on the planet.

This post was updated to clarify vessel numbers in Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, and Egypt, as well as provide more context for the history of Persia’s navy.

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the military dynamics of Africa is important due to the continent’s strategic geopolitical significance. The continent is known for some instability, and military power is one way of ensuring control, both political and economic. Many of these African nations are growing rapidly and the continued stability of this region is crucial.