Comparative navy enlisted ranks of Africa

Rank comparison chart of non-commissioned officers and other personnel for navies of African states.

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs										Junior NCOs			Enlisted
Algerian National Navy^[1] v t e																No insignia
	مساعد أول Mosa'id awwal			مساعد Mosa'id			رقيب أول Raqib awwal	رقيب Raqib			عريف أول Earif 'awal		عريف Earif			جندي Jundiun
	Adjudant chef			Adjudant			Sergent chef	Sergent			Caporal chef		Caporal			Djoundi
Angolan Navy^[2] v t e																No insignia
Angolan Navy^[2] v t e	Sargento-mor			Sargento-chefe	Sargento-ajudante		Primeiro-sargento	Segundo-sargento			Sub-sargento			Cabo	Marinheiro	Grumete
Benin Navy^[3] v t e																No insignia
Benin Navy^[3] v t e	Major	Maître principal		Premier maître			Maître	Second maître			Quartier maître de 1^er classe		Quartier maître 2^ème classe	Matelot de 1^ère classe		Matelot de 2^ème classe
Botswana	No navy
Burkina Faso	No navy
Burundi	No navy
Cameroon Navy^[4]^[5]^[6] v t e
Cameroon Navy^[4]^[5]^[6] v t e	Maître principal			Premier maître			Maître	Second-maître			Quartier-maître de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maître de 2^ème classe	Matelot de 1^re classe		Matelot
Cape Verdean Coast Guard^[7] v t e
Cape Verdean Coast Guard^[7] v t e	Sargento-mor			Sargento-chefe	Sargento-principal		Primeiro-sargento	Segundo-sargento	Furriel	Segundo-furriel	Cabo-principal	Cabo de secção	Cabo-adjunto	Primeiro-cabo	Segundo-cabo
Central African Republic	No navy
Chad	No navy
Comoros	No navy
Navy of the DR Congo v t e																No insignia
Navy of the DR Congo v t e	Maître chef principal	Premier maître chef		Maître chef	Premier maître	Second maître	Maître	Quartier maître					Premier matelot	Second matelot		Matelot	Recrue
Rank group	Senior NCOs										Junior NCOs			Enlisted
Congolese Navy^[8] v t e																No insignia
Congolese Navy^[8] v t e	Maitre-principal			Premier maitre			Maitre	Second maitre			Quartier-maitre de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maitre de 2^ème classe	Matelot de 1^ère classe		Matelot de 2^ème classe
Djiboutian Navy v t e
Djiboutian Navy v t e	Maître-principal			Premier maître			Maître	Second maître			Quartier-maitre se 1^ère classe		Quartier-maitre se 2^ème classe	Matelot brevet		Matelot
Egyptian Navy v t e
Egyptian Navy v t e	مساعد أول Mosa'id awwal			مساعد Mosa'id	رقيب أول Raqib awwal		رقيب Raqib				عريف 'arif			جندي Jundi
Navy of Equatorial Guinea v t e
Navy of Equatorial Guinea v t e				Brigada			Sarjento				Cabo primero		Cabo			Marinero
Eritrean Navy v t e																No insignia
Eritrean Navy v t e				Master sergeant			Staff sergeant	Sergeant			Corporal			Private first class		Private
Ethiopian Navy v t e
Ethiopian Navy v t e	ቺፍ ዋረንት ኦፊሰር Chīfi wareniti ofīseri		ማስተር ቺፍ Masiteri chīfi	ሲኒየር ቺፍ Sīnīyeri chīfi	ቺፍ Chīfi		ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 1ኛ ክላስ Pītī ofīseri ānidenya kilasi	ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 2ኛ ክላስ Pītī ofīseri huletenya kilasi			ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 3ኛ ክላስ Pītī ofīseri sositenya kilasi	ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 4ኛ ክላስ Pītī ofīseri āratenya kilasi	ሊዲንግ ሲማን Līdīnigi sīmani	ኤብል ሲማን Ēbili sīmani	ኦርድናሪ ሲማን Oridinarī sīmani	ሲማን ሪኩሩት Sīmani rīkuruti
Gabonese Navy v t e
Gabonese Navy v t e	Maître-principal major	Maître-principal		Premier maître			Maître	Second maître			Quartier-maître de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maître de 2^ème classe	Matelot brevet		Matelot
Gambian Navy v t e
Gambian Navy v t e
Ghana Navy v t e														No insignia		No insignia
Ghana Navy v t e					Chief petty officer		Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class			Leading seaman			Able seaman		Ordinary seaman
Guinean Navy v t e
Guinean Navy v t e	Major	Maître principal		Premier maître			Maître	Second-maître			Quartier-maître de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maître de 2^ème classe	Matelot breveté		Matelot
Navy of Ivory Coast^[9] v t e
Navy of Ivory Coast^[9] v t e	Maitre-principal major	Maitre-principal		Premier maitre			Maitre	Second maitre			Quartier-maitre de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maitre de 2^ème classe	Matelot de 1^ère classe		Matelot de 2^ème classe
Kenya Navy^[10] v t e														No insignia
Kenya Navy^[10] v t e	Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2	Senior sergeant		Sergeant				Corporal			Private (or equivalent)
Lesotho	No navy
Liberian National Coast Guard^[11] v t e
Liberian National Coast Guard^[11] v t e	Master chief petty officer			Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer		Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class			Petty officer third class		Seaman	Seaman recruit
Rank group	Senior NCOs										Junior NCOs			Enlisted
Libyan Navy^[12] v t e																No insignia
Libyan Navy^[12] v t e				Master sergeant			Staff sergeant	Sergeant			Corporal			Private 1st class		Private
Madagascar Navy^[13] v t e																No insignia
Madagascar Navy^[13] v t e	Maître principal	Premier maître		Maître	Second-maître de hors classe		Second-maître de 1^ère classe	Second-maître de 2^ème classe			Quartier-maître de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maître de 2^ème classe			Matelot
Mali	No navy
Mauritanian Navy^[14] v t e
Mauritanian Navy^[14] v t e	مساعد أول بحري Mosa'id awwal bahriun			مساعد بحري Mosa'id bahriun			رقيب أول بحري Raqib awwal bahriun	رقيب بحري Raqib bahriun					عريف بحري 'arif bahriun			بحار Bihaar
Mauritius	No navy
Royal Moroccan Navy^[15] v t e																No insignia
Royal Moroccan Navy^[15] v t e	Maître principal			Premier maître	Maître		Second-maître de 1^ère classe	Second-maître de 2^ème classe			Quartier-maître de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maître de 2^ème classe	Matelot de 1^ère classe		Matelot
Mozambique Naval Command v t e
Mozambique Naval Command v t e					Intendente		Primeiro-sargento	Segundo-sargento						Primeiro-cabo	Segundo-cabo	Marinheiro
Namibian Navy^[16] v t e														No insignia
Namibian Navy^[16] v t e	Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2	Chief petty officer		Petty officer				Leading seaman		Able seaman	Seaman
Niger	No navy
Nigerian Navy^[17] v t e																No insignia
Nigerian Navy^[17] v t e	Navy Warrant Officer	Master Warrant Officer		Warrant Officer			Petty officer				Leading seaman		Able seaman	Seaman		Ordinary seaman
Rwanda	No navy
Rank group	Senior NCOs										Junior NCOs			Enlisted
Coast Guard of São Tomé and Príncipe v t e																No insignia
Coast Guard of São Tomé and Príncipe v t e	Sargento-mor			Sargento-chefe	Sargento-ajudante		Primeiro-sargento	Segundo-sargento	Primerio-subsargento	Subsargento	Cabo		Primeiro-marinheiro	Segundo-marinheiro		Grumete
Senegalese Navy v t e																No insignia
Senegalese Navy v t e	Maitre-principal			Premier maitre			Maitre	Second maitre			Quartier-maitre se 1ere classe		Quartier-maitre se 2eme classe	Matelot brevet		Matelot
Seychelles Coast Guard^[18] v t e														No insignia
Seychelles Coast Guard^[18] v t e	Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2	Staff sergeant		Sergeant				Corporal		Lance corporal	Private (or equivalent)
Sierra Leone Navy v t e
Sierra Leone Navy v t e	Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2	Chief petty officer		Petty officer				Leading seaman			Able seaman		Seaman
Somali Navy^[19] v t e														No insignia
Somali Navy^[19] v t e	Musharax sarkaal	Sadex xarígle		Laba xarígle	Xarígle		Sadex alífle				Laba alífle		Alífle	Dable
South African Navy^[20] v t e
South African Navy^[20] v t e	Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2	Chief petty officer		Petty officer				Leading seaman			Able seaman		Seaman
South Sudan	No navy
Sudanese Navy^[21] v t e														No insignia
Sudanese Navy^[21] v t e				مساعد Mosa'id	رقيب أول Raqib awwal		رقيب Raqib				عريف 'arif		وكيل عريف Wakil 'arif	جندي Jundiun
Swaziland	No navy
Tanzania Naval Command v t e														No insignia
Tanzania Naval Command v t e	Afisa mteule daraja la kwanza			Afisa mteule daraja la pili	Sajinitaji		Sajenti				Koplo		Koplo usu	Mtu ndege
Togolese Navy^[22] v t e																		No insignia
Togolese Navy^[22] v t e	Major	Maître principal		Premier-maître			Maître	Second-maître			Quartier-maitre de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maitre de 2^ème classe	Matelot de 1^ère classe		Matelot de 2^ème classe
Tunisian National Navy^[23]^[24] v t e
	وكيل أعلى بالبحرية Wakil 'aelaa bialbahria	وكيل أول بالبحرية Wakil 'awal bialbahria		وكيل بالبحرية Wakil bialbahria			عريف أول بالبحرية Earif 'awal bialbahria	عريف بالبحرية Earif bialbahria			رقيب أول بالبحرية Raqib 'awal bialbahria		رقيب بالبحرية Raqib bialbahria	جندي أول بحرية Jundiun awwal bialbahria		جندي متطوع بحرية Jundiun bialbahria
	Maître-principal	Premier maître		Maître			Second maître de 1^ère classe	Second maître de 2^ème classe			Quartier-maitre de 1^ère classe		Quartier-maitre de 2^ème classe	Matelot breveté		Matelot
Uganda	No navy
Zambia	No navy
Zimbabwe	No navy
Rank group	Senior NCOs										Junior NCOs			Enlisted

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.
^ "Grades Et Appellations Sous-Officier Superieurs Marine Nationale". Ministère de la défense du Cameroun (in French). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ "Grades Et Appellations Sous-Officier Subalternes Marine Nationale". Ministère de la défense du Cameroun (in French). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ "Grades Et Appellations Militaires du Rang Marine Nationale". Ministère de la défense du Cameroun (in French). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ "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 الأفراد غير الضباط" [Ranks of Non-officers]. 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.
^ "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.
^ "أمر عدد 380 لسنة 1972 مؤرخ في 6 ديسمبر 1972 يتعلق بضبط النظام الأساسي الخاص بالعسكريين". legislation-securite.tn (in Arabic). Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. 6 December 1972. Retrieved 6 April 2023.

[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.

[4] "Grades Et Appellations Sous-Officier Superieurs Marine Nationale". Ministère de la défense du Cameroun (in French). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.

[5] "Grades Et Appellations Sous-Officier Subalternes Marine Nationale". Ministère de la défense du Cameroun (in French). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.

[6] "Grades Et Appellations Militaires du Rang Marine Nationale". Ministère de la défense du Cameroun (in French). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.

[CapeVerde_Navy-7] "Anexo A". Boletim Oficial (in Portuguese). 1 (4). Government of Cape Verde: 133–136. 18 January 2017.

[RepublicoftheCongo-8] "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.

[IvoryCoast-9] "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.

[Kenya-10] "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 9 December 2022.

[Liberia-11] "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.

[Libya-12] 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-13] "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_Other-14] "رتب الأفراد غير الضباط" [Ranks of Non-officers]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[Morocco-15] 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-16] "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.

[Nigeria-17] 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-18] "Rank structure". spdf.sc. Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

[Somalia-19] 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-20] "Rank Insignia". navy.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

[Sudan-21] "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-22] "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.

[Tunisia-23] "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.

[Tunisia_AR-24] "أمر عدد 380 لسنة 1972 مؤرخ في 6 ديسمبر 1972 يتعلق بضبط النظام الأساسي الخاص بالعسكريين". legislation-securite.tn (in Arabic). Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. 6 December 1972. Retrieved 6 April 2023.

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Comparative navy enlisted ranks of Africa

Other ranks

See also

References