Which of the African Superpower Contenders — Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt — is the most powerful country in Africa?

When we hear the word “Superpower,” what generally comes to our mind is the United States and the Former Soviet Union. Remember during the cold war. These two superpowers were locked in a state of geopolitical tension after World War II.

On the system of government, while South Africa and Nigeria are democratic — Egypt is not.
On energy, Egypt and Nigeria are net exporters while South Africa is a net importer.
On the economy, Egypt and South Africa have a diversified economy in terms of manufacturing and consumer sectors. Nigeria is a petrostate highly dependent on oil and gas exports.
On neighborhood, Egypt and Nigeria reside in an increasingly tricky geopolitical area. South Africa is safe in Southern Africa.
On rankings; Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt are the largest, the 2nd largest, and the 3rd largest economy in Africa respectively. Furthermore; Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria are the largest, the 4th largest, and the 5th largest military force in Africa.

Nigeria could become Africa’s only global superpower. Already, It is Africa’s biggest economy and has a decent record of regional engagement in West Africa. By 2040 it will be the fourth largest country in the world after India, China, and the United States with 320-million people.

In the Americas, the United States is the primary power.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the major powers are Brazil and Mexico.
In Europe, we have Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
In East Asia, we have China and Japan.
In the Indian subcontinent, India is the only power.
In West Asia, we have Israel and Saudi Arabia.