Aerial warfare in Africa is shifting toward lighter, nimbler drones, with many increasingly designed for single-use missions. At a military conference in Nigeria this week, hulking, fixed-wing drones were on display alongside smaller, plastic models resembling hobbyist drones.
These commercial-style drones have been adapted for combat, including “suicide” missions, echoing tactics seen in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In West Africa’s Sahel, terror groups have rigged DIY drones, demonstrating the growing accessibility of aerial weapons in conflict zones.
The Nigerian military is adopting similar strategies, complementing traditional drones with cheaper, even disposable, technology for field operations. “They carry these in backpacks for missions and strike where necessary,” said Muhammad Umar, CTO of Nigerian drone firm EIB Group.
Economically, Umar noted, deploying small drones is far cheaper than risking a half-million-dollar drone on every mission. Traditional models like Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 remain popular in Africa, with systems costing roughly $6 million, cheaper than jets or helicopters.
Locally made suicide drones sell for under $1,000, excluding explosives, offering African militaries a low-cost, agile alternative for battlefield use. “You need speed, you need agility,” said Oluwagbenga Karimu of Epsilon, which also showcased drones at Abuja’s African defence chiefs conference.
Drones are a low-cost way to wage war but have delivered mixed results and devastating effects on civilian populations, AFP reported in July. Sudan led the continent in strikes last year, followed by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ethiopia, according to ACLED data.
Handheld drones supplied by China and Russia have intensified northern Sudan’s civil conflict since 2023, the US-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies noted. Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima urged investment in “indigenous military innovation” during his opening address to the conference.
Newer drones don’t need runways and fly quietly, said a Nigerian air force official, though most systems still rely on foreign parts. As militants increasingly weaponize drones, Nigeria now seeks jamming systems to counter aerial threats, highlighting the evolving battlefield landscape.