This is a list of publicly identified equipment in use with the Nigerian Army. Due to the large variety of weapon systems and equipment procured over the decades, and the inherited culture of secretiveness of the Nigerian Army, it is currently almost impossible to calculate the sum of all weaponry in the army.
Personnel Equipment Camouflage ModelImageOriginTypeQuantityNotesM14 Pattern Camouflage Combat uniform Introduced in 2014, it is the standard issue camouflage pattern of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Intended to replace the large variety of commercial and surplus military patterns then in use, the four-colour pattern comes in green-dominant Woodland and khaki Arid variants. The uniform cut is based on the US Battle Dress Uniform with minor alterations.MultiCam Combat uniformCurrently used by some special forces units. Many soldiers have privately purchased apparel, pouches, helmets and body armor in MultiCam camo (both genuine and commercial copies) for personal use.U.S. WoodlandCombat uniformOriginally adopted in the 1990s as Nigerian forces were increasingly committed to overseas peace support and military operations, the Nigerian Army used both donated surplus US BDUs, as well as imported Chinese and locally-made copies.
Helmet ModelImageOriginTypeQuantityNotesCorlon M80 Combat Helmet During the 1980s, Nigeria imported a number of helmets from South Korea to supplant their existing manganese steel Mk IV and M1 helmets. MICH Combat Helmet Small numbers purchased in the late 2010s to supplant existing PASGT-type helmets. FAST Combat Helmet Issued mainly to special operations forces, the Nigerian Army uses a mix of genuine Gentex FAST High Cut helmets donated as military aid, and a bevy of FAST clones of Chinese and local origin. In recent years the latter have become more common in line infantry units.
Ballistic Vests ModelImageOriginTypeQuantityNotesSoldier Plate Carrier SystemBulletproof vestThe Army and Special Forces use multiple tactical vests and plate carriers from local manufacturers.Modular Tactical VestBulletproof vestStandard Issued for the Military from local manufacturers.
Night Vision Goggles ModelImageOriginTypeQuantityNotesThales Sophie-LRHandheld thermal image and laser rangefinderEOTech GPNVG-18Binocular night-vision deviceLimited issue, used by special operations units and aviators. AN/PVS-7Biocular night-vision device
Optics and Scope ModelImageOriginTypeQuantityNotes Mepro M21 Red dot sight MEPRO MX3 F/T Magnifier Scope
Infantry weapons
Handgun ModelImageCalibreTypeOriginNotes Beretta 92 9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistolSmall number of privately purchased Berettas in use with Nigerian Army officers.Diez, Octavio (2000). Armament and Technology: Handguns. Lema Publications, S.L. . Beretta M1951 9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistolManufactured under license from Beretta since the 1970s.Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). . Browning Hi-Power 9×19mm Parabellum Semi-automatic pistol Status: In service Produced locally under licence as the NP-1.Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria Retrieved on 1 May 2013.
Submachine Gun ModelImageCalibreTypeOriginNotes Heckler & Koch MP5 9×19mm Parabellum 10mm Auto Submachine gun Beretta M12 9×19mm Parabellum Submachine gun Produced locally under license by DICON.
Assault Rifles ModelImageCalibreTypeOriginNotes IWI Tavor 5.56×45mm NATO Bullpup assault rifle Status: In service Used mostly by Special Forces. AK Alfa 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Status: In service Used by Special Forces. Beryl M762 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Status: In service Produced locally under license by DICON (Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria). AK-1037.62×39mmAssault rifleProduced locally by DICON as DG-103. Will replace AK-47s/OBJ 006 in infantry units FB Mini-Beryl 5.56×45mm NATO Compact assault rifle (carbine) Status: Testing 10 test units purchased. FN FNC 5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle Status: In service Beretta AR70/90 5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle Status: In service Daewoo K2 5.56×45mm NATO Assault rifle 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 Status: Active Produced as OBJ-006."Nigeria to mass-produce Nigerian version of AK-47 rifles." Retrieved on 5 October 2008."DICON – Defence Industry Corp. of Nigeria" Retrieved on 23 June 2012. AKMRottman, Gordon (2011). The AK-47 Kalashnikov series assault rifles. Great Britain: Osprey Publishing. . 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Beretta BM 59 7.62×51mm NATOBattle rifleStatus: Active Use For Ceremonial Purpose, Produced locally under licence by DICON.
Machine Guns ModelImageCalibreTypeOriginNotesFN MAG 7.62×51mm NATOGeneral-purpose machine gun Status: ActiveUKM-2000 7.62×51mm NATOGeneral-purpose machine gun Status: ActiveRPK 5.45×39mm Light machine gun Status: ActiveW85 Machine Gun 12.7×108mmHeavy machine gunStatus: Active Vehicle-mounted machine gun on the VS/P3 Bigfoot MRAP M2 Browning 12.7×99mm NATO (.50 BMG) Heavy machine gun DShK 12.7×108mmHeavy machine gun
Precision Rifles ModelImageCalibreTypeOriginNotesWKW Tor7.62mm NATOBolt action Sniper rifleIWI Dan.338 Lapua MagnumBolt action Sniper rifle Orsis T-5000 7.62×51mm NATO Bolt action Sniper rifle Used by the Nigeria Army Special Forces Unit against Boko haram and ISWAP in the North east of the countryTruvelo CMS.338 Lapua MagnumAnti-materiel Sniper Rifle
Grenade-based Weapons ModelImageCalibreTypeOriginNotes Norinco LG3 AGL 40mm Automatic grenade launcher 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 ModelImageTypeVariantOriginQuantityNotesVT-4Main Battle TankVT-417T-72Main Battle TankT-72AVT-72M1~10~31T-54Main Battle TankT-55~100VickersMain Battle TankVickers Mk3~172
Tank Destroyer ModelImageTypeVariantOriginQuantityNotes ST-1 Tank Destroyer N/A Delivered in April 2020.
Reconnaissance Vehicle ModelImageTypeVariantOriginQuantityNotes FV101 Scorpion Reconnaissance vehicle 157 FV107 Scimitar Reconnaissance vehicle 5More units purchased from Jordan EE-9 Cascavel Armoured car 70 Delivered in 1994. Panhard ERC Armoured car ERC-90 80 40 with Lynx turret. Panhard AML Armoured car AML-60 AML-90 130 Panhard VBL Scout car VB2L PC 72
Infantry Fighting Vehicle ModelImageTypeVariantOriginQuantityNotes BMP Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1 BMP-2 22 40
Armoured Personnel Carrier ModelImageTypeVariantOriginQuantityNotesType 89 AFVArmoured personnel carrierZSD-8560Delivered in 2021 Saurer Armoured personnel carrier 4K 4FA 250 . MT-LB Armoured personnel carrier 67 Sourced from Poland. Mowag Piranha Armoured personnel carrier Piranha I 110 BTR-3 Armoured personnel carrier BTR-3U "Guardian" 47 BTR Armoured personnel carrier BTR-60 BTR-70 618 Isotrex Armoured personnel carrier Phantom II 24 Seen on display during NADCEL 2025Legion 60 Streit Group MK.III Light armored vehicle WarriorTyphoonSpartan 237 Delivered between 2017 and 2022 Seen on display during NADCEL 2025
Mine -Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle
ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotesCS/VP3 MRAPMine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle310120 was delivered in 2015, 40 delivered in 2018, and a further 100 was delivered in 2021 between March and November. Additional 50 was delivered as confirmed by General Lagbaja in June 2024. EzugwuMine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle 80+ Total of 80 confirmed. 28+52 PF ARA 40+ PF Hulk 5 EPV24 Dodandawa Reva Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle 40 Mk III.
Special operation vehicles ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotesProforce FuryLight rapid response vehicle Polaris Ranger 1000 All-Terrain vehicle
Light armored vehicles ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotesPF Viper Light Tactical Vehicle120Dongfeng Mengshi Csk131 Light Tactical Vehicle 12020 reverse engineered units delivered to the army in May 2024 Plasan Sand Cat Composite armored vehicle More units ordered Nurol Yörük NMS Light armored vehicle 13 on order Otokar Cobra Light tactical vehicle 204 INKAS LAPV Light armored patrol vehicle KLTVLight tactical vehicle5
Armoured Ambulances ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes FV104 Samaritan Tracked armoured ambulance N/A
Engineering and Logistics vehicles ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes BOZENA 5 Unmanned ground vehicle N/A Clearance of all conventional antipersonnel and antitank land mines and for IED removal assistance.Vickers AVLBArmored bridge-layer26 Vickers ARVArmored recovery vehicle12 KrAZ-6322 Utility truck N/A Some locally manufactured.Ashok Leyland Troop Carrier700Assembled in Nigeria.
Utility vehicle ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes Dongfeng EQ2050 Light armored vehicle Toyota Hilux Light truck 4000+ Toyota Land CruiserLight truck N/AUsed as utility vehicles and technicals, Some were converted to armored cars. Locally manufactured by Vanquish Industries Ltd Tarpan Honker Multipurpose pickup truck 25 IVM G-12 Special purpose vehicles N/A Licensed Copy of the Beijing BJ2022 IVM G-80 Light truck 40
Artillery
Self-propelled Artillery ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes SH-5 SH-2 Self-propelled howitzer 15 105mm caliber122mm caliber Palmaria Self-propelled howitzer 25
Rocket Artillery ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes APR–40 Multiple rocket launcher 25 BM-21 GradMultiple rocket launcher 5 RM-70 Multiple rocket launcher 7IISS 2019, pp. 483
Mortar ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes L16 81mm mortar 220
Anti Tank Gun ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes ZiS-3 Anti-tank gun N/A
Field Artillery ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes D-30 Field Howitzer 90 D-74 90 M46 7 D-20 4 Delivered in 1992. Haubits FH77 Howitzer 24 Reportedly, all guns are in storage. OTO Melara Mod 56 Howitzer 124 200 delivered.
Anti-tank Weapons ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes Swingfire Anti-tank missile 100 in stock. HJ-12 Anti-tank guided missiles Unknown M40 Recoilless rifle Carl Gustav Recoilless rifle RPG-7 Anti-tank weapon
Air defence
Anti-aircraft Weapons ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes Roland Surface-to-air missile 16 Mounted on AMX-30 chassis. Blowpipe Surface-to-air missile 48 9K32 Strela-2 Surface-to-air missile 100
Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes ZSU-23-4 Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun 30
Towed anti-aircraft gun ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes ZPU Towed anti-aircraft gun N/A ZU-23-2 Towed anti-aircraft gun 350
Electronic Warfare ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes EDM4S SkyWiper Drone Jammer DEMFAS MP-MBFJ Drone Jammer Aselsan IHASAVAR Drone Jammer
Radars ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes Radars Ground Observer 12 Ground Radar U/N It entered the service of the Nigerian Army in 2018 PGSR-3i ‘Beagle’ Ground Radar U/N Spexer 2000 Ground Radar U/N
Aircraft ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes Attack Aircraft MD 530F Cayuse Warrior Light Attack helicopter Status: On order 12 units on order Total of 36 units PlannedBell UH-1 IroquoisUtility 2 Magnus MF-212Attack Aircraft3 on order Unmanned Aerial VehicleBayraktar TB2Multi-Mission6Aerosonde Mk4.7ISR DroneZiyan Blowfish A2Multi-Mission
Retired equipment ModelImageTypeOriginQuantityNotes Personnel Equipment Walther P5 Semi-automatic pistol Sten Submachine gun Sterling Submachine gun SIG SG 540 Assault rifle M16A1Jane's Special Forces Recognition Guide, Ewen Southby-Tailyour (2005) p. 446 Assault rifle NR-1 Battle rifle FN FAL Local variant designated NR-1. replaced by Beryl M762 Uzi Submachine gun Phased out and no longer in much use. MG 3 machine gun General-purpose machine gun Status: in reserve Anti-aircraft Bofors L/60 Towed anti-aircraft gun 12 Vehicle Shorland Armoured car Mk 3. Haflinger Utility vehicle 400 Pinzgauer High-mobility all-terrain vehicle N/A Land Rover Utility vehicle N/A Some locally manufactured.
References