Military profile
Togo Military Strength
Togo is not covered by the Global Firepower ranking. It spent $205 million on its military in 2025 (1.9% of GDP).
Togo armed forces in numbers
Finance
- Military spending
- $205 million#126 of 156
- Military spending as % of GDP
- 1.9%#72 of 156
Equipment and personnel: Global Firepower 2023 military strength ranking (2023). Spending: World Bank / SIPRI military expenditure data (CC BY 4.0).
Togo military spending 2010–2025
Military spending of Togo grew by 261% between 2010 and 2025, from $57 million to $205 million (current US dollars), and stood at 1.9% of GDP in 2025.
Armed forces of Togo
Branches and forces
Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army, Togolese Navy, Togolese Air Force, National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale Togolaise or GNT) Ministry of Security and Civil Protection: Togolese Police (2025)
Personnel
estimated 20,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025)
Service age and conscription
18-24 years of age for military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation; no conscription (2025)
Equipment and suppliers
the FAT has a small inventory of mostly obsolescent or older armaments originating from several countries, including Brazil, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025)
Good to know
the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT) are responsible for both external defense and internal security; the FAT’s primary concerns are border security, terrorism, and maritime security; in recent years, it has boosted operations in the northern border region of the country to secure the frontier and prevent banditry, illicit smuggling, and infiltrations from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida-affiliated militant groups based in Mali that also operates in neighboring Burkina Faso; in 2022, the Togolese Government declared a state of emergency in the north following an attack by JNIM fighters on a Togolese military post that killed several soldiers; the Navy and Air Force have increased focus on combating piracy and smuggling in the Gulf of Guinea since its creation in 1963, the Togolese military has had a history of involvement in the country’s politics, including assassinations, coups, and a crackdown in 2005 that killed hundreds of civilians; over the past decade, it has made efforts to reform and professionalize, which have included increasing its role in UN peacekeeping activities, participating in multinational exercises, and receiving training from foreign partners, particularly France and the US; in addition, Togo has established a regional peacekeeping training center for military and police in Lome (2025)
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
2024: 2.2% · 2023: 3% · 2022: 4% · 2021: 2.8% · 2020: 2.8%
Forces and service: CIA World Factbook (public domain).
Togo compared with its neighbours
| Country | Strength rank | Military spending |
|---|---|---|
| Togo | — | $205 million |
 Ghana | #109 | $507 million |
 Benin | #144 | $217 million |
 Burkina Faso | #121 | $892 million |