How correct are Buhari’s claims on Nigerian navy’s firepower?

President Muhammadu Buhari has mentioned the combating energy of Nigeria’s navy elevated considerably beneath his administration.

He mentioned the nation now ranks fourth in Africa versus the seventh place it occupied in 2015 when he was elected president.

In response to the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Buhari acknowledged this on the Nigerian Military Trooping and Presentation of Colors Parade 2023 on Thursday in Abuja.

He mentioned the combating energy of the nation’s navy was at a low ebb as of Could 2015. He mentioned the firepower improved considerably beneath his administration.

The president additionally mentioned the navy made and continues to make exceptional progress within the struggle in opposition to insurgents, militants, oil bunkers, kidnappers, and different legal parts within the nation.

Mr Buhari mentioned his administration improved the navy’s combating energy, coaching, operations, manpower, remunerations, and medical providers.

“These are along with upkeep, effectivity, lodging, and enlargement of forces.

“The enhancements in these areas have collectively enhanced the military’s capability to successfully perform its constitutional mandate.

“The combating energy of our military was at a low ebb as of Could 2015. Seven years later, its combating energy has elevated considerably, making it fourth in rating amongst African militaries as in opposition to seventh in 2015, NAN reported.

Checking the claims

The International Fireplace Energy (GFP) is an organisation which ranks each nation’s navy capacities yearly based mostly on elements such because the variety of serving navy members – the naval, and air power and gas availability for navy operations, the variety of jet fighters, the defence funds, and logistic flexibility.
In its 2023 rating, there are a complete of 38 international locations in Africa whose navy powers had been reviewed.

The information by the International Firepower rating, which was final up to date in January 2023 mentioned the Armed Forces of Nigeria has one of many largest fight providers in Africa with estimated 215,000 personnel together with 80,000 paramilitaries.

Nigeria’s land military power encompasses 177 tanks, 15,748 autos, 30 self-propelled artillery, 339 Towered artillery, 37 rocket artillery, and a complete plane of 144, the breakdown by GFP rating mentioned.

Additionally, Nigeria has 25 high-power naval vessels with whole naval belongings standing at 136 with an estimated budgetary defence allocation of about $3.4 billion.

Thus, the organisation ranked Nigeria’s navy the fourth strongest navy power in Africa.

The International Firepower positioned Nigeria beneath Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa, however ranked it above Ethiopia, Angola, Morocco, DR Congo, Tunisia, and Sudan.

Verdict: The president’s declare on the nation’s firepower rating is correct.

One other declare made by the president on the occasion was that the navy in 2015 (when he got here on board) its combating energy was at a low ebb and its firepower was ranked seventh in Africa.

However the International Firepower ranked Nigeria fifth place in 2015. Thus, beneath Mr Buhari’s administration, Nigeria’s navy solely rose by a step. The nation maintained fourth place in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Verdict: The declare by President Buhari that Nigeria was positioned in seventh place within the rating in 2015 was inaccurate.

Whereas Nigeria is ranked 4th place within the African firepower rating, globally it was positioned on the thirty sixth positions out of the 145 international locations thought of for the annual international Firepower rating overview in 2023.

Nigeria holds an index rating of 05587. A rating of 0.0000 is taken into account excellent. Although Nigeria stays within the fourth place, its index rating improved considerably between 2015 to this point, Dataphyte reported.

In the meantime, America, Russia, China, India, the UK, South Korea, Pakistan, Japan, France and Italy, are the highest ten strongest international locations, globally, in line with their navy rating.