List of equipment of the Nigerian Army

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This is a list of some equipment used by the Nigerian Army. Due to how large and secretive the Nigerian army is, it is currently almost impossible to calculate all weaponry in the army.

Camouflage

Model Image Origin Type Quantity Notes
M14 Pattern

Nigeria Combat uniform Standard Issue Uniform for Nigerian Armed Forces Service Members for Overseas Deployment. Both in Woodland and Arid pattern
MultiCam United States Combat uniform Currently used by special forces
Digital Camouflage Nigeria Combat uniform Currently used by special forces, both the Woodland/Arid Pattern

Helmet

Model Image Origin Type Quantity Notes
PASGT Nigeria Combat Helmet PASGT type ballistic helmet issued mainly to the Nigerian Military. Protects in accordance with NIJ 01.01.06 IIIA (Level IIIA).
MICH Nigeria Combat Helmet MICH type ballistic helmet issued mainly to the Nigerian Military. Protects in accordance with NIJ 01.01.06 IIIA (Level IIIA).
FAST Nigeria Combat Helmet FAST type ballistic helmet issued mainly to special operations forces. Protects in accordance with NIJ 01.01.06 IIIA (Level IIIA).

Ballistic Vest

Model Image Origin Type Quantity Notes
Soldier Plate Carrier System Nigeria Bulletproof vest The Army and Special Forces use multiple tactical vests and plate carriers from local manufacturers.
Modular Tactical Vest Nigeria Bulletproof vest Standard Issued for the Military from local manufacturers.

Night Vision Goggles

Model Image Origin Type Quantity Notes
Thales Sophie-LR France Thermal Imager
EOTech GPNVG-18 France Night-vision device
AN/PVS-31 United States Night-vision device
AN/PVS-7 United States Night-vision device

Optics and Scope

Model Image Origin Type Quantity Notes
Mepro M21 Israel Red dot sight Rifle Sight
MEPRO MX3 F/T Israel Magnifier Scope

Infantry weapons

Handgun

Model Image Calibre Type Origin Notes
Beretta 92[1] 9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistol Italy
Beretta M1951[2] 9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistol
Browning Hi-Power 9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistol Belgium
Nigeria		 Status: In service

Produced locally under licence as the NP-1.[3]

Submachine Gun

Model Image Calibre Type Origin Notes
Heckler & Koch MP5[2] 9×19mm Parabellum
10mm Auto		 Submachine gun West Germany
Beretta M12[4] 9×19mm Parabellum Submachine gun Italy
Nigeria		 Produced locally under license by DICON.

Assault Rifles

Model Image Calibre Type Origin Notes
IWI Tavor[5][6] 5.56×45mm NATO Bullpup assault rifle Israel Status: In service

Used mostly by Special Forces.

AK Alfa[7][8] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle United States
Israel		 Status: In service

Used by Special Forces.

Beryl M762[9] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Poland
Nigeria		 Status: In service

Produced locally under license by DICON (Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria).

AK-103 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Russia
Nigeria		 Produced locally by DICON as DG-103. Will replace AK-47s/OBJ 006 in infantry units
FB Mini-Beryl[10] 5.56×45mm NATO Compact assault rifle (carbine) Poland Status: Testing

10 test units purchased.

FN FNC[2] 5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle Belgium Status: In service
Beretta AR70/90[2] 5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle Italy Status: In service
Daewoo K2[11] 5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle South Korea Status: Active

Purchased 3,000 in 1984, which were delivered in 1985. Another batch was purchased in 1996. Additional 30,000 rifles were sold in 2006.

AK-47 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Soviet Union
Nigeria		 Status: Active

Produced as OBJ-006.[12][13]

AKM[14] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Soviet Union
Beretta BM 59 7.62×51mm NATO Battle rifle Italy
Nigeria		 Status: Active
Use For Ceremonial Purpose, Produced locally under licence by DICON.

Machine Guns

Model Image Calibre Type Origin Notes
FN MAG 7.62×51mm NATO General-purpose machine gun Belgium Status: Active
UKM-2000 7.62×51mm NATO General-purpose machine gun Poland Status: Active
RPK 5.45×39mm Light machine gun Soviet Union Status: Active
W85 Machine Gun 12.7×108mm Heavy machine gun China Status: Active

Vehicle-mounted machine gun on the VS/P3 Bigfoot MRAP

M2 Browning[2] 12.7×99mm NATO (.50 BMG) Heavy machine gun United States
DShK 12.7×108mm Heavy machine gun Soviet Union

Precision Rifles

Model Image Calibre Type Origin Notes
Alex .338[15] 7.62mm NATO Bolt action Sniper rifle Poland
IWI Dan .338 Lapua Magnum Bolt action Sniper rifle Israel
Orsis T-5000 7.62×51mm NATO Bolt action Sniper rifle Russia Used by the Nigeria Army Special Forces Unit against Boko haram and ISWAP in the Nort east of the country
Truvelo CMS .338 Lapua Magnum Anti-materiel Sniper Rifle South Africa

Grenade-based Weapons

Model Image Calibre Type Origin Notes
Norinco LG3 AGL 40mm Automatic grenade launcher China Status:Active
AGL's are grenades capable of fully automatic fire. Able to take out approaching enemy vehicles 2 km away.

Armoured fighting vehicles

Tanks

Model Image Type Variant Origin Quantity Notes
VT-4 Main Battle Tank VT-4 China 17 [16][17]
T-72 Main Battle Tank T-72AV
T-72M1		 Soviet Union ~10
~31		 [18][19]
[18][19]
T-54 Main Battle Tank T-55 ~100 [18][20]
Vickers Main Battle Tank Vickers Mk3 United Kingdom ~172 [18][20]

Tank Destroyer

Model Image Type Variant Origin Quantity Notes
ST-1 Tank Destroyer China N/A Delivered in April 2020.[21]

Reconnaissance Vehicle

Model Image Type Variant Origin Quantity Notes
FV101 Scorpion Reconnaissance vehicle United Kingdom 157[22]
FV107 Scimitar Reconnaissance vehicle 5[22] More units purchased from Jordan
EE-9 Cascavel Armoured car Brazil 70[22] Delivered in 1994.[23]
Panhard ERC Armoured car ERC-90 France 80[24] 40 with Lynx turret.
Panhard AML Armoured car AML-60
AML-90		 130[22]
Panhard VBL Scout car VB2L PC 72[23]

Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Model Image Type Variant Origin Quantity Notes
BMP Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1
BMP-2		 Soviet Union
Czechoslovakia		 22[25]
40 [26][25]

Armoured Personnel Carrier

Model Image Type Variant Origin Quantity Notes
Type 89 AFV Armoured personnel carrier ZSD-85 China 60 Delivered in 2021 [27]
Saurer Armoured personnel carrier 4K 4FA Austria 250[22] .[24]
MT-LB Armoured personnel carrier Soviet Union 67[23] Sourced from Poland.
Mowag Piranha Armoured personnel carrier Piranha I  Switzerland 110[22]
BTR-3 Armoured personnel carrier BTR-3U "Guardian" Ukraine 47[23]
BTR Armoured personnel carrier BTR-60
BTR-70		 Soviet Union 6[28]
18[29]
Isotrex Armoured personnel carrier Phantom II UAE 24[30] Seen on display during NADCEL 2025[30]
Legion 60[30]
Streit Group MK.III Light armored vehicle Warrior
Typhoon
Spartan		 Canada 237[31] Delivered between 2017 and 2022

Seen on display during NADCEL 2025

Mine -Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
CS/VP3 MRAP Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle China 310 120 was delivered in 2015,[32] 40 delivered in 2018, and a further 100 was delivered in 2021 [32] between March and November.[33]

Additional 50 was delivered as confirmed by General Lagbaja in June 2024.

Ezugwu Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Nigeria 80+[34] Total of 80 confirmed.[35] 28+52

[36]

PF ARA 40+ [37]
PF Hulk 5 [38]
EPV24 Dodandawa
Reva Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle South Africa 40[39] Mk III.[40]

Special operation vehicles

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Proforce Fury Light rapid response vehicle Nigeria
Polaris Ranger 1000 All-Terrain vehicle United States

Light armored vehicles

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
PF Viper Light Tactical Vehicle Nigeria 120
Dongfeng Mengshi Csk131 Light Tactical Vehicle China
Nigeria		 120 20 reverse engineered units delivered to the army in May 2024[41]
Plasan Sand Cat Composite armored vehicle Israel More units ordered
Nurol Yörük NMS Light armored vehicle Turkey 13 on order[42]
Otokar Cobra Light tactical vehicle 204[22]
INKAS LAPV Light armored patrol vehicle Canada [43]
KLTV Light tactical vehicle South Korea 5 [37]

Armoured Ambulances

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
FV104 Samaritan Tracked armoured ambulance United Kingdom N/A

Engineering and Logistics vehicles

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
BOZENA 5[44] Unmanned ground vehicle Slovakia N/A Clearance of all conventional antipersonnel and antitank land mines and for IED removal assistance.[45]
Vickers AVLB[46] Armored bridge-layer United Kingdom 26
Vickers ARV[46] Armored recovery vehicle United Kingdom 12
KrAZ-6322[47] Utility truck Ukraine N/A Some locally manufactured.[48]
Ashok Leyland Troop Carrier India 700[49] Assembled in Nigeria.

Utility vehicle

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Dongfeng EQ2050 Light armored vehicle China
Nigeria
Toyota Hilux[50] Light truck Japan 4000+
Toyota Land Cruiser Light truck Japan

Nigeria

 N/A Used as utility vehicles and technicals,[51]

Some were converted to armored cars.
Locally manufactured by Vanquish Industries Ltd

Tarpan Honker[52][53] Multipurpose pickup truck Poland 25
IVM G-12[54] Special purpose vehicles[55] Nigeria N/A Licensed Copy of the Beijing BJ2022
IVM G-80[56] Light truck[57] 40

Artillery

Self-propelled Artillery

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
SH-5
SH-2		 Self-propelled howitzer China 15[58] 105mm caliber[21]
122mm caliber
Palmaria Self-propelled howitzer Italy 25[59]

Rocket Artillery

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
APR–40 Multiple rocket launcher Romania 25[22]
BM-21 Grad Multiple rocket launcher  Soviet Union 5[20]
RM-70 Multiple rocket launcher Czechoslovakia 7[60]

Mortar

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
L16 81mm mortar United Kingdom 220[61]

Anti Tank Gun

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
ZiS-3[24] Anti-tank gun Soviet Union N/A

Field Artillery

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
D-30 Field Howitzer Soviet Union 90[23]
D-74 90[23]
M46 7[22]
D-20 4[22] Delivered in 1992.[23]
Haubits FH77 Howitzer Sweden 24[24] Reportedly, all guns are in storage.
OTO Melara Mod 56 Howitzer Italy 124[22] 200 delivered.[23]

Anti-tank Weapons

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Swingfire[62] Anti-tank missile United Kingdom 100 in stock.[23]
HJ-12[63] Anti-tank guided missiles China Unknown
M40[22] Recoilless rifle United States
Carl Gustav Recoilless rifle Sweden
RPG-7 Anti-tank weapon Soviet Union
Nigeria

Air defence

Anti-aircraft Weapons

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Roland Surface-to-air missile France 16[24] Mounted on AMX-30 chassis.
Blowpipe Surface-to-air missile United Kingdom 48[24]
9K32 Strela-2 Surface-to-air missile Soviet Union 100[22]

Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
ZSU-23-4 Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Soviet Union 30[22]

Towed anti-aircraft gun

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
ZPU[24] Towed anti-aircraft gun Soviet Union N/A
ZU-23-2 Towed anti-aircraft gun Soviet Union 350[22]

Electronic Warfare

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
EDM4S SkyWiper Drone Jammer Lithuania
DEMFAS MP-MBFJ Drone Jammer Nigeria
Aselsan IHASAVAR Drone Jammer Turkey

Radars

Model Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Radars
Ground Observer 12 Ground Radar France U/N It entered the service of the Nigerian Army in 2018
PGSR-3i ‘Beagle’ Ground Radar Hungary U/N
Spexer 2000 Ground Radar Germany U/N

Aircraft

Retired equipment

References

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