Comparative army officer ranks of Africa

Rank comparison chart of officer ranks for armies/land forces of African states.

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Algerian Land Forces [1] v t e
			فريق أول‎‎ Farīq 'awwal		فريق Farīq		لواء Liwāʾ		عميد 'Amīd		عقيد 'Aqīd		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Rā'id		نقيب Naqīb		ملازم أول Mulāzim 'awwal			ملازم Mulāzim
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Angolan Army [2] v t e
			General de exército		General		Tenente-general		Brigadeiro		Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Mayor		Capitão		Tenente			Sub-tenente
Benin Army [3] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Botswana Ground Force [4] v t e
					Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Burkina Faso Ground Forces [5] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Burundi Army [6] v t e
			Général		Lieutenant-général		Général-major		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Major		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
			Jenerai		Riyetena jenerai		Jenerai majoro		Jenerai wa birigade		Koroneri		Riyetena koroneri		Majoro		Kapitene		Riyetena			Suriyetena
Cameroon Ground Forces v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Cape Verdean National Guard [7] v t e
							Major-general		Brigadeiro-general		Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro tenente		Tenente		Subtenente
Central African Ground Forces v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Chadian Ground Forces v t e
	Maréchal		Général d'armée		Général de corps		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Comorian Army v t e
							Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Land Forces of the DR Congo v t e
			Général d'armée		Lieutenant-général		Général-major		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Major		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Congolese Ground Forces [8] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Djiboutian Army v t e
							Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Egyptian Army [9] v t e
	مشیر Mushir		فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Army of Equatorial Guinea v t e
							General de division		General de brigada		Coronel		Teniente coronel		Comandante		Capitán		Teniente			Alférez
Eritrean Army v t e
							Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Ethiopian Ground Forces [10] v t e
	የፊልድ ማርሻል ጄኔራል Yefīlidi marishali jēnērali		ጄነራል Jēnerali		ሌተናል ጄነራል Lētenali jēnerali		ሜጀር ጄነራል Mējeri jēnerali		ብርጋዴር ጄነራል Birigadēri jēnerali		ኮሎኔል Kolonēli		ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል Lētenaniti kolonēli		ሻለቃ Shalek’a		ሻምበል Shamibeli		የመቶ ዓለቃ Yemeto ‘alek’a			ምክትል የመቶ ዓለቃ Mikitili yemeto ‘alek’a
	Field marshal general		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Gabonese Army v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Gambian National Army v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Ghana Army v t e
	Field marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Guinea Ground Forces v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Army of Guinea-Bissau v t e
			General		Tenente-general		Major-general		Brigadeir-general		Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro tenente		Tenente		Subtenente
Ivory Coast Ground Forces [11] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant			Aspirant
Kenya Army [12] v t e
	Commander-in-Chief		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Lesotho Army [13] v t e
	Field marshal				Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet
Liberian Ground Forces [14] v t e
					Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Libyan Ground Forces [15] v t e
	مشير Mushir		فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Madagascar Ground Forces [16] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Malawi Army v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd Lieutenant
Malian Army [17] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Mauritanian National Army [18] v t e
					فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa				عميد Amid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Mauritius	No army
Royal Moroccan Army [19] v t e
	Maréchal		Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Mozambican Army v t e
			Coronel-general		Tenente-general		Major-general				Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Tenente			Alferes
Namibian Army [20] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet
Niger Army [21] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant			Aspirant
Nigerian Army [22] v t e
	Field marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier-general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rwandan Land Forces [23] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Army of São Tomé and Príncipe v t e
									Brigadeiro		Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Tenente			Alferes			Aspirante-a-Oficial-Aluno
Senegalese Army v t e
					Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Seychelles Army [24] v t e
									Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet
Sierra Leone Army v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet
Somali National Army [25] v t e
					Lieutenant general Sareeye Guud		Major general Sareeye Gaas		Brigadier general Sareeye Guuto		Colonel Gashaanle Sare		Lieutenant colonel Gashaanle Dhexe		Major Gashaanle		Captain Dhamme		First lieutenant Laba Xídígle			Second lieutenant Xídígle
Somaliland National Army v t e
					Lieutenant general Sareeye Guud		Major general Sareeye Gaas		Brigadier general Sareeye Guuto		Colonel Gashaanle Sare		Lieutenant colonel Gashaanle Dhexe		Major Gashaanle		Captain Dhamme		First lieutenant Laba Xídígle			Second lieutenant Xídígle
South African Army [26] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd lieutenant			Candidate officer
South Sudan Army v t e
	Field marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Sudanese Army [27] v t e
	مشیر Mushir		فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Eswatini Army v t e
	Field marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd lieutenant
Tanzanian Army v t e
			Jenerali		Luteni jenerali		Meja jenerali		Brigedia jenerali		Kanali		Luteni kanali		Meja		Kapteni		Luteni			Luteni usu			Ofisa mteule
Togolese Army [28] v t e
							Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Tunisian Army [29] v t e
					فريق أول Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		أمير لواء 'amir liwa'		عميد Amid	عقيد Aqid	مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
					Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Ugandan Land Forces [30] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant
Zambian Army v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant
Zimbabwe National Army [31] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet

Warrant officers

Equivalent NATO rank	WO-5		WO-4		WO-3		WO-2		WO-1
South African Army v t e
	Master chief warrant officer		Senior chief warrant officer		Chief warrant officer		Master warrant officer		Senior warrant officer

See also

• Comparative army officer ranks of the Americas
• Ranks and insignia of NATO armies officers

References

1. "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
2. "Postos do Exército". faa.ao (in Portuguese). Angolan Army. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
3. "LOI N° 2005-43 DU 26 JUIN 2006" (PDF). ilo.org (in French). National Assembly (Benin). 26 June 2006. pp. 19–20, 35–36. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
4. "Ranks". Government of Botswana. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
5. "LOI N° 037-2016/AN PORTANT CONDITIONS D'AVANCEMENT DES PERSONNELS D'ACTIVE DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2015. pp. 17–21. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
6. "Loi organique N°1/ 04 du 20 février 2017 portant Missions, Organisation, Composition, Instruction, Conditions de service et Fonctionnement de la Force de Défense Nationale du Burundi" (PDF). fdnb.bi/ (in French). Government of Burundi. p. 45. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
7. "Patente". fa.gov.cv (in Portuguese). Cape Verdean Armed Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
8. "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
9. "Ranks of Military Officers". mod.gov.eg. Ministry of Defense (Egypt). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
10. "Ethiopia introduces its first Field Marshal rank amid changes to insignia". ethiopiancitizen.com. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
11. "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
12. "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
13. "Ranks in the Army". Lesotho Defence Force. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
14. "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
15. Tartter, Jean R. (1989). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Libya: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 270–271. LCCN   88600480 . Retrieved 28 October 2021.
16. "LOI N° 96-029 portant Statut Général des Militaires" (PDF). defense.gov.mg (in French). Ministry of Defence (Madagascar). 15 November 1996. p. 2. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
17. "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armées du Mali" (in French). 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
18. "رتب الضباط" [Officer ranks]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
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22. Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297. LCCN   92009026 . Retrieved 21 October 2021.
23. "RDF Insignia". mod.gov.rw. Government of the Republic of Rwanda. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
24. "Rank structure". spdf.sc. Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
25. Ehrenreich, Frederick (1982). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold N. (ed.). Somalia: a country study (PDF). Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 257. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
26. "Uniform: Rank insignia". army.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
27. "الرتب العسكرية" [Military ranks]. mod.gov.sd/ (in Arabic). Republic of Sudan Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
28. "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
29. "Décret n° 72-380 du 6 décembre 1972, portant Statut particulier des militaires". legislation-securite.tn (in French). Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. 6 December 1972. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
30. "Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces Act" (PDF). The Uganda Gazette. CXII (46). Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation: 1851–1854. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
31. Ehrenreich, Frederick (1983). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Zimbabwe: a Country Study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 267. LCCN   83-11946 . Retrieved 5 July 2022.