Comparative navy officer ranks of Africa

Last updated July 18, 2024

Rank comparison chart of officers for navies of African states.

Officers

Rank group	General/flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
Algerian National Navy ^[1] v t e
		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
		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant		Sous-lieutenant
Angolan Navy ^[2] v t e
Angolan Navy ^[2] v t e		Almirante-da-Armada	Almirante	Vice-almirante	Contra-almirante	Capitão-de-mar-e-guerra		Capitão-de-fragata	Capitão-de-corveta	Tenente-de-navio	Tenente-de-fragata		Tenente-de-corveta
Benin Navy ^[3] v t e
Benin Navy ^[3] v t e		Amiral	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^ère classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^ème classe
Botswana	No navy
Burkina Faso	No navy
Burundi	No navy
Cameroon Navy v t e
Cameroon Navy v t e		Amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Cape Verdean Coast Guard ^[4] v t e
Cape Verdean Coast Guard ^[4] v t e						Capitão–de–mar		Capitão–de–navio	Capitão-de–patrulha	Capitão-tenente	Primeiro-tenente	Tenente		Guarda-marinha
Central African Republic	No navy
Chad	No navy
Comoros	No navy
Navy of the DR Congo v t e
Navy of the DR Congo v t e		Grand amiral	Amiral	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Rank group	General/flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
Congolese Navy ^[5] v t e
Congolese Navy ^[5] v t e		Amiral	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Djiboutian Navy v t e
Djiboutian Navy v t e					Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant		Sous-lieutenant
Egyptian Navy v t e
Egyptian Navy v t e		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
Navy of Equatorial Guinea v t e
Navy of Equatorial Guinea v t e				Vice almirante	Contra almirante	Capitán de navío		Capitán de fragata	Capitán de corbeta	Teniente de navío	Alférez de navío		Alférez de fragata
Eritrean Navy v t e
Eritrean Navy v t e				Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant		Second lieutenant
Ethiopian Navy v t e
Ethiopian Navy v t e		አድሚራል Ādimīrali	ቫይስ አድሚራል Vayisi ādimīrali	ሬር አድሚራል Rēri ādimīrali	ኮሞዶር Komodori	ካፒቴን Kapītēni		ኮማንደር Komanideri	ሌፍተናንት ኮማንደር Lēfitenaniti komanideri	ሌፍተናንት Lēfitenaniti	ሌፍተናንት ጁኒየር ግሬድ Lēfitenaniti junīyeri girēdi		ሰብ ሌፍተናንት Sebi lēfitenaniti
Gabonese Navy v t e
Gabonese Navy v t e		Amiral	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Gambian Navy v t e
Gambian Navy v t e			Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Commodore	Captain		Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)		Sub-lieutenant
Ghana Navy v t e
Ghana Navy v t e		Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Commodore	Captain		Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Sub lieutenant
Guinean Navy v t e
Guinean Navy v t e		Amiral de la Flotte	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Navy of Guinea-Bissau v t e
Navy of Guinea-Bissau v t e						Capitão de mar e guerra		Capitão de fragata	Capitão-tenente	Primeiro-tenente	Segundo-tenente		Guarda-marinha/ Subtenente
Navy of Ivory Coast ^[6] v t e
Navy of Ivory Coast ^[6] v t e		Amiral	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau major	Capitaine de vaisseau	Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Kenya Navy ^[7] v t e
Kenya Navy ^[7] v t e		General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant		Second lieutenant
Lesotho	No navy
Rank group	General/flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
Liberian National Coast Guard ^[8] v t e
Liberian National Coast Guard ^[8] v t e						Captain		Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)		Ensign
Libyan Navy ^[9] v t e
Libyan Navy ^[9] 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 Navy ^[10] v t e
Madagascar Navy ^[10] v t e		Amiral	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Malawi Navy v t e
Malawi Navy v t e		General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant		Second lieutenant
Mali	No navy
Mauritanian Navy ^[11] v t e
Mauritanian Navy ^[11] v t e			فريق Fariq	لواء Liwa		عميد بحري Amid bahriun		مقدم بحري Muqaddam bahriun	رائد بحري Ra'id bahriun	نقيب بحري Naqib bahriun	ملازم أول بحري Mulazim awwal bahriun		ملازم بحري Mulazim bahriun
Mauritius	No navy
Royal Moroccan Navy ^[12] v t e
Royal Moroccan Navy ^[12] v t e		Amiral	Vice-amiral d'escadre	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau-major	Capitaine de vaisseau	Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Mozambique Naval Command v t e
Mozambique Naval Command v t e		Almirante	Vice-almirante	Contra-almirante		Capitão de mar e guerra		Capitão de fragata	Capitão-tenente	Primeiro-tenente	Segundo-tenente		Guarda-marinha
Namibian Navy ^[13] v t e
Namibian Navy ^[13] v t e		Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Rear admiral junior grade	Captain		Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade		Ensign
Niger	No navy
Nigerian Navy ^[14] v t e
Nigerian Navy ^[14] v t e	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Commodore	Captain		Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Sub-Lieutenant		Midshipman
Rwanda	No navy
Rank group	General/flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
Coast Guard of São Tomé and Príncipe v t e
Coast Guard of São Tomé and Príncipe v t e						Capitão de mar e guerra		Capitão de fragata	Capitão-tenente	Primeiro-tenente	Segundo-tenente		Guarda-marinha Subtenente		Aspirante
Senegalese Navy v t e
Senegalese Navy v t e					Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Seychelles Coast Guard ^[15] v t e
Seychelles Coast Guard ^[15] v t e					Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant		Second lieutenant		Officer cadet
Sierra Leone Navy v t e
Sierra Leone Navy v t e				Rear admiral	Commodore	Captain		Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)		Sub-Lieutenant		Midshipman
Somali Navy ^[16] v t e
Somali Navy ^[16] v t e			Vice admiral Admiraal guud	Rear admiral Admiraal gaas	Commodore admiral Admiraal guuto	Captain Gashaanle sare		Commander Gashaanle dhexe	Lieutenant commander Gashaanle	Lieutenant Dhamme	Sub lieutenant Laba xídígle		Ensign Xídígle
Somaliland Coast Guard v t e
Somaliland Coast Guard v t e			Vice admiral Admiraal kuxigeenka	Rear admiral Admiraal gaas	Commodore admiral Admiraal guuto	Captain Gashaanle sare		Commander Gashaanle dhexe	Lieutenant commander Gashaanle	Lieutenant Dhamme	Sub-lieutenant Laba xídígle		Ensign Xídígle
South African Navy ^[17] v t e
South African Navy ^[17] v t e		Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Rear admiral (junior grade)	Captain		Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Sub lieutenant		Ensign		Midshipman
South Sudan	No navy
Sudanese Navy ^[18] v t e
Sudanese Navy ^[18] v t e		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
Swaziland	No navy
Tanzania Naval Command v t e
Tanzania Naval Command v t e			Vice admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore	Captain		Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Sub Lieutenant		Ensign
Togolese Navy ^[19] v t e
Togolese Navy ^[19] v t e				Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau		Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Tunisian National Navy ^[20] v t e
			فريق أول بالبحرية Fariq 'awal bialbahria	فريق بالبحرية Fariq bialbahria	أمير لواء بالبحرية 'amir liwa' bialbahria	عميد بالبحرية Amid bialbahria	عقيد بالبحرية Aqid bialbahria	مقدم بالبحرية Muqaddam bialbahria	رائد بالبحرية Ra'id bialbahria	نقيب بالبحرية Naqib bialbahria	ملازم أول بالبحرية Mulazim 'awal bialbahria		ملازم بالبحرية Mulazim bialbahria
			Amiral	Vice-amiral	Contre-amiral	Capitaine de vaisseau major	Capitaine de vaisseau	Capitaine de frégate	Capitaine de corvette	Lieutenant de vaisseau	Enseigne de vaisseau de 1^re classe		Enseigne de vaisseau de 2^e classe
Uganda	No navy
Zambia	No navy
Zimbabwe	No navy
Rank group	General/flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers

References

↑ "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
↑ "Postos da Marinha". faa.ao (in Portuguese). Angolan Navy. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
↑ "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.
↑ "Anexo A". Boletim Oficial (in Portuguese). 1 (4). Government of Cape Verde: 133–136. 18 January 2017.
↑ "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
↑ "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
↑ "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
↑ "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
↑ 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.
↑ "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.
↑ "رتب الضباط" [Officer ranks]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
↑ Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study . Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American University. pp. 350–351. LCCN 85600265 . Retrieved 16 September 2023.
↑ "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
↑ 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.
↑ "Rank structure". spdf.sc. Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
↑ 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.
↑ "Rank Insignia". navy.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
↑ "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.
↑ "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
↑ "Les grades des officers de la marine". emam.defense.tn (in French). Ministry of Defence (Tunisia). Retrieved 10 June 2021.

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[Algeria-1] "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.

[Angola_Navy-2] "Postos da Marinha". faa.ao (in Portuguese). Angolan Navy. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

[Benin-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.

[CapeVerde_Navy-4] "Anexo A". Boletim Oficial (in Portuguese). 1 (4). Government of Cape Verde: 133–136. 18 January 2017.

[RepublicoftheCongo-5] "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.

[IvoryCoast-6] "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.

[Kenya-7] "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 9 December 2022.

[Liberia-8] "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.

[Libya-9] 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.

[Madagascar-10] "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.

[Mauritania_Officer-11] "رتب الضباط" [Officer ranks]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[Morocco-12] Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study . Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American University. pp. 350–351. LCCN 85600265 . Retrieved 16 September 2023.

[Namibia-13] "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.

[Nigeria-14] 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.

[Seychelles-15] "Rank structure". spdf.sc. Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

[Somalia-16] 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.

[SouthAfrica_Navy-17] "Rank Insignia". navy.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

[Sudan-18] "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.

[Togo-19] "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.

[20] "Les grades des officers de la marine". emam.defense.tn (in French). Ministry of Defence (Tunisia). Retrieved 10 June 2021.

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Comparative navy officer ranks of Africa

Contents

Officers

See also

Related Research Articles

References