Benin Military Power Ranking 2025

MPR Rank: 146th
MPR SCORE: 196
MPR Index: 0.0428 (1.0000 is perfect)
Reverse MPR Index: 0.9071 (0.0000 is perfect)
Z Score: -0.668 (standard deviations above the mean)

Overview

Benin ranks 146th in the 2025 Military Power Rankings. The Armed Forces of Benin (Forces Armées Béninoises) are primarily focused on internal security, border defense, and regional counterterrorism support. With a doctrine centered on light mobility, rapid response, and territorial defense, Benin’s military lacks conventional warfighting infrastructure but plays a growing role in multilateral security efforts in West Africa.

As a contributor to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against insurgent threats in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, Benin has increased its cooperation with France, the United States, and regional partners, focusing on intelligence, logistics, and inter-agency coordination. Though modest in size and equipment, the military is a stabilizing force within Benin’s borders and part of a larger continental security network.

Military Strengths

Benin’s military strength lies in its regional counterterrorism alignment, light infantry doctrine, and international partnerships.

1. Participation in Regional Counterinsurgency Operations

Active member of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) alongside Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, focused on combating Boko Haram and affiliated terrorist groups.
Benin contributes through border surveillance, troop rotations, and inter-agency support.

2. Light, Mobile Force Doctrine

The army emphasizes infantry maneuverability, quick-response units, and motorized patrols suited for the country’s varied terrain and border regions.
Forces are structured to respond rapidly to internal threats, including smuggling, banditry, and extremist infiltration.

3. Foreign Military Assistance and Training

Receives aid and training from partners such as the United States, France, and the EU, focusing on counterterrorism, civil-military coordination, and surveillance technologies.
Equipment donations have included tactical vehicles, communications systems, and protective gear.

4. Coastal Security Capabilities

Benin’s small naval component supports Gulf of Guinea security, engaging in anti-piracy, illegal fishing prevention, and joint maritime patrols with regional allies.

Why Benin Is Still Ranked 146th

No Air Force or Strategic Deterrence
Benin has no combat aircraft or air defense systems. Its air wing is limited to basic transport and observation planes, often inoperable or outdated.
Minimal Heavy Weaponry or Mechanized Units
The ground force lacks armor, artillery, or advanced targeting systems. It is structured around infantry patrols, not combined arms warfare.
Limited Budget and Technological Base
Defense spending is among the lowest in the region relative to GDP. Modernization is dependent on foreign aid, with domestic industry limited to logistics and maintenance.
No Power Projection Capability
Benin’s forces are not configured for out-of-country operations without support from larger regional or Western partners.

Conclusion

Benin’s military is a light, responsive force designed for internal defense, border protection, and regional counterterrorism contributions. While it does not field conventional combat assets or strategic capabilities, it plays a key role in Sahelian security efforts, multinational coordination, and West African stability initiatives. Its MPR ranking reflects limited equipment, absence of airpower, and lack of autonomous deployment capacity, balanced by consistent engagement in regional security frameworks.

Military Strength and Force Projection

Active Military Personnel: 10,000
Reserve Personnel: 5,000
Paramilitary Forces: 6,000 (Gendarmerie, Republican Guard)
Army Personnel: 7,500
Navy Personnel: 1,000
Air Force Personnel: 1,500

Ground Forces

Main Battle Tanks (MBTs): 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs): 50+
Artillery Pieces (Towed & Self-Propelled): 20+
Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS): 0

Air Force

Combat Aircraft: 0
Attack Helicopters: 0
Transport Aircraft: 4+
Training Aircraft: 2+

Aircraft Breakdown:

Light aircraft such as Dornier 228s and Cessna variants
Helicopters used for utility and surveillance missions

Naval Forces

Warships: 4+
Submarines: 0
Frigates/Corvettes: 0
Patrol Boats: 4+

Naval Vessel Breakdown:

Small patrol craft for anti-smuggling, fisheries protection, and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea
Operates within the ECOWAS Maritime Security Zone

Missile Capabilities

Benin does not possess any missile systems. It relies on small arms, man-portable air defense weapons, and basic surveillance for national security. No strategic or guided missile systems are currently fielded.

Strategic Partnerships

Benin is a member of ECOWAS and cooperates with France, the United States, and the African Union on regional security. It receives foreign training, logistics, and border security support through EU and UN counterterrorism frameworks. The U.S. has provided ISR support for Benin’s northern borders near Burkina Faso and Niger.

Military History & Combat Experience

Benin’s military history is limited to domestic security operations, border stabilization, and peacekeeping deployments, with no conventional war experience.

Domestic Security and Coup Prevention (1970s–1980s):
During its early post-independence period, Benin experienced several military coups, including the 1972 coup that brought Mathieu Kérékou to power. The armed forces were instrumental in regime protection, urban garrisoning, and civil suppression during this time.
Transition to Civilian Oversight (1990s):
Democratic reforms in the 1990s shifted the military’s role toward neutrality and internal stabilization. A professionalization effort reduced the army’s political role, focusing it on constitutional duties and border defense.
Support to UN Peacekeeping Operations:
Benin has deployed troops to UN missions in Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, and Haiti, contributing infantry contingents, logistical staff, and medical personnel. These experiences have exposed the force to asymmetric threat environments and civilian protection protocols.
Participation in the MNJTF (2015–Present):
As part of the regional coalition against Boko Haram, Beninese forces support intelligence sharing, border patrols, and rear logistics for missions based in northern Nigeria and Niger. The military has conducted joint operations, often in a support or escort role, with training provided by Western partners.
Coastal Security Operations (Ongoing):
In response to rising piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, Benin has deployed its naval patrol units and collaborated with Nigeria and Togo to conduct joint maritime patrols, contributing to shipping lane security and maritime awareness.

Though Benin lacks conventional war experience, its decades of internal control, peacekeeping activity, and integration into West African security coalitions give its forces experience in low-intensity conflict zones, border counterinsurgency, and multilateral operations under structured foreign support.

General Information

Demographics and Geography

Population: ~13.5 million (2024 est.)
Population Available for Military Service: ~5.6 million
Geographic Area: 112,622 km²
Land Boundaries: 2,123 km
Bordering Countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Togo
Coastline: 121 km
Climate: Tropical; hot and humid in the south, semi-arid in the north
Terrain: Mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Natural Resources: Oil, limestone, marble, timber, gold
Proven Oil Reserves: ~1.2 billion barrels (mostly offshore)
Proven Natural Gas Reserves: ~3.5 trillion cubic feet

Economic Indicators

Defense Budget (2025): ~$240 million USD
Defense Budget as % of GDP: ~1.6%
GDP (PPP): ~$43 billion USD
GDP per Capita (PPP): ~$3,200
External Debt: ~$4.7 billion USD
Military Expenditure Trend (last 5 years): Slow but steady rise due to terrorism threats in the north

Military Infrastructure and Readiness

Military Service Obligation: Voluntary
Primary Defense Focus: Border control, anti-terrorism, coastal protection
Military Industry Base: Minimal; focused on maintenance and light manufacturing
Cyber/Electronic Warfare Capability: Very limited
Nuclear Warhead Inventory: None (non-nuclear state)
Major Military Districts / Commands: Divided into regional operational zones under Benin Armed Forces
Missile Inventory Highlights: Man-portable systems, light artillery, mortars
Reservist Call-up Readiness / Timeline: Low to moderate; 60–90 days
Reservist Force Size: ~15,000

Space, Intelligence, and Strategic Infrastructure

Space or Satellite Programs: None
Military Satellite Inventory: None
Intelligence Infrastructure: Directorate of Military Intelligence (DIM), Presidential Guard
Intelligence Sharing Partnerships: ECOWAS, France, Nigeria
Airports (Total): ~7
Major Military Airports: Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport

Naval Power and Maritime Logistics

Merchant Marine Fleet: Small
Major Ports: Cotonou
Naval Infrastructure: Coastal patrol units, small naval base at Cotonou
Naval Replenishment Capability: Minimal

Domestic Mobility and Infrastructure

Railway Network: ~600 km (largely outdated)
Roadways: ~16,000 km

Energy and Fuel Logistics

Oil Production: ~25,000 barrels/day
Energy Imports: Imports refined petroleum and electricity
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: Limited

Defense Production and Strategic Forces

Domestic Defense Production: Minimal; reliant on imports
Military Installations (Domestic): Cotonou, Parakou, Natitingou
Military Installations (Overseas): None
Foreign Military Personnel Presence: French trainers and regional security advisors
Defense Alliances: ECOWAS Standby Force, France (bilateral)
Strategic Airlift Capability: Limited; relies on partner nations
Wartime Industrial Surge Capacity: Very low