Military drone trade is being reshaped by conflicts in Europe and <a href="https://absafricatv.com/amref-health-africa-ceo-calls-for-action-on-health-in-africa/” title=”Amref Health Africa CEO calls for action on health in Africa”>Africa, with the US and Iran supplying opposing sides in the Russia-Ukraine war, while China and Türkiye have emerged as key suppliers to African countries such as DR Congo, Sudan and Mali.
British forces are learning to fly drones manually.US Army photo
- DR Congo was Africa’s largest importer of major military drones between 2022 and 2025, followed by Sudan and Mali.
- Ukraine and Russia accounted for more than 91% of all recorded military drone imports during the period.
- Nigeria, Kenya, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Morocco also featured among Africa’s military drone importers.
- The figures cover major military systems and exclude most smaller FPV and commercial drones.
Africa accounted for only a small share of global military drone imports between 2022 and 2025, but drones have become an important part of conflicts in DR Congo, Sudan and Mali.
DR Congo received 29 military drones from foreign suppliers during the period, placing it first in Africa and 12th globally, according to a Visual Capitalist analysis based on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The country has deployed Chinese-made CH-4 Rainbow drones against M23 rebels in the east.
Sudan followed with 17 drones, while Mali received 15. Both countries have also used Turkish-made systems, including Bayraktar TB2 drones, while Mali has deployed the heavier Akıncı model against jihadist and separatist groups in the Sahel.
Burkina Faso and Morocco imported 10 drones each, while Niger and Nigeria received seven apiece. Algeria and Kenya each recorded six imports.
Together, the nine African countries received 107 major military drones during the four-year period, a small fraction of the 16,822 recorded globally.
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The Russia-Ukraine war accounted for most of the global total, underscoring the central role drones now play in surveillance, targeting and strike operations.
Ukraine received 8,664 drones from foreign suppliers between 2022 and 2025, accounting for 51.5% of the global total. Russia followed with 6,720, or 39.9%.
Together, the two countries accounted for more than 91% of recorded military drone imports during the period, according to a Visual Capitalist analysis of SIPRI data.
UkraineSeparately, Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council says the country’s defence industry can produce more than 8 million FPV drones a year
Russia, meanwhile, relied heavily on Iranian Shahed-136 drones before expanding domestic production of its Geran-2 version. Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence estimates that Russia now produces about 2,800 Geran-2 drones per month.
Beyond Russia and Ukraine, import volumes fell sharply. Taiwan ranked third globally with 291 drones, followed by South Korea with 190 and Azerbaijan with 154.
India ranked sixth with 119 drones, while Georgia received 100. Further down the ranking, Albania imported 56, while Hungary and Lithuania received 50 each.
SIPRI tracks major weapons, including drone aircraft with a loaded weight of at least 150 kg, as well as one-way attack drones and loitering munitions.
Most smaller FPV and commercial drones fall outside its database. The figures also include systems supplied as aid and those produced in recipient countries under foreign licence.
This means the 16,822 drones recorded globally represent only part of the wider market.
Even so, the figures show how wars in Europe and Africa are driving demand for unmanned systems, while suppliers including the US, China, Iran and Türkiye expand their role in the global defence market.
