The 10 Best Military Schools in Africa [2025]

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The best military academy in Africa

Top Best Military Schools in Africa

The best military academy in Africa is the Egyptian Military Academy, which was founded in 1811. Followed by the Nigeria is the Nigerian Defence Academy, founded in January 1964. Military academies are generally considered educational institutions that train students for duty in the officer corps, although the actual description varies depending on the country in question.

Today, it is impossible to be commissioned as an officer or even to become a non-commissioned officer without first spending a specified duration of time at a military educational facility. This is because it assists in providing the technical skills and resources necessary to create solutions to security problems.

The Top Best African Military Academies are Listed Below:

1. Egyptian Military Academy

The oldest and most prestigious military academy in Africa is the Egyptian Military Academy, which was founded in 1811. Graduates of the military academy can serve in different branches and units of the armed forces in addition to being commissioned as officers in the Egyptian Army.

The school offers two kinds of degrees: a certificate for completing military studies and a bachelor’s degree in military science. The Military Academy has branches that offer further instruction and training. In order to produce more top officers for the 1st Army and Special Forces, it also features a system of extended studies, such as the Thunderbolt School and the Branch of Military Arts.

2. Nigerian Defence Academy

The sole military university in Nigeria is the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). It was founded in January 1964 as a reformation of the Nigerian Military Training College, formerly known as the British-run Royal Military Forces Training College (RMFTC) (NMTC).

The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is the institution that trains officer cadets in preparation for enlistment into the Nigerian Armed Forces. It provides military training for the Army, Air Force, and Navy of Nigeria.

The NDA curriculum has undergone many stages of modification in line with global developments. The degree-awarding program took the place of the Nigerian Defense Academy Certificate of Education (NDACE) program in 1985, earning the institution the title of the top military academy in West Africa.

3. South Africa Military Academy

One of the most highly sought military schools in South Africa is the South African Military Academy.

The South African military school, also known as the South African Army College, was formed in 1950 on the same tenets as the American military college system and its AirForce Academy. The Faculty of Military Science of the University of Stellenbosch is housed in the Academy, which is a military department of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). It gives officers from all branches of service the chance to obtain a BMil or higher degree in the field of military science. It is situated in Saldanha, a town on the West Coast.

4. Ghana Military Academy

After sending prospective officers to foreign military schools for training for many years, the Ghanaian military school was finally founded on April 1st, 1960. The Ghana Military Academy is where the Ghanaian Armed Forces train their soldiers. The Ghanaian Army, Navy, and Air Force all train their officer cadets there. It is situated in Teshie, somewhere in the Greater Accra Region. It provides officer cadets from the Ghanaian Armed Forces with fundamental military training. The Regular Officers Special Training Schools, Teshie, was the precursor to the academy, which evolved out of it in 1953.

5. Cameroonian Military Academy

The Cameroonian Combined Services Military Academy was established in 1959 but was officially opened in 1961. Prior to Cameroonian officers taking full command in 1986, the French Forces once shared management of the institution. The institution conducts training sessions and educates military officers in different disciplines.

In addition to Cameroonians, the academy accepts applicants from other nations, particularly African nations. Statistics show that about 5% of the cadet officers who graduated from the academy were from other African nations, with the others being Cameroonians.

6. Kenya Military Academy

The history of the Kenya Military Academy, Nakiru, dates back to 1941 when it was called the St. Leakey Barracks. According to the institution’s website, its goal is to train and educate cadets to achieve military excellence while preparing them for leadership and command.

7. Uganda Military Academy

The Uganda Military Academy is a military school located in Uganda, East Africa.

The Uganda People’s Defence Force traditionally commissions graduates of the military academy as officers. The facility was founded in 2007 and has been operating at full capacity ever since. The academy began providing degree programs in security and defense affairs in 2017. Cadets from other African nations also travel to the academy for training.

8. Tanzania Military Academy

Monduli is the home of Tanzania’s military academy. It has trained officers from nearby nations and is frequently recognized as a prominent training academy. It was founded in 1976 with help from the Chinese government.

Its original name was the National Leadership Academy, and in 1992, after the country switched to a multiparty system, it was renamed to its current name. It has trained officers from Uganda, Seychelles, Lesotho, Zambia, South Africa, and Kenya over the years.

9. Rwanda Military Academy

The Gako Campus of the Rwanda Military Academy is 20 kilometers from the Burundian border and 50 kilometers southeast of Kigali City. The institution is situated in a 30-square-kilometer military facility. The edifice that houses the Academy was built in the early 1960s as a post for soldiers of the so-called “Garde National” of the time. It was converted into a recruit training facility in 1974. 

The former Rwandese Government Forces (Ex-FAR), which were also later incorporated into the RPA and are now the Rwanda Defence Force, used the center as a reorganization site following the 1994 liberation struggle.

It changed its name to Gako School of Infantry in 1999 and welcomed its first intake of cadets. With the help of the Kenya Military Advisory Training Team (KMATT), the School transformed into the current Rwanda Military Academy in the year 2000. Before the RMA Nyakinama Campus was constructed in 2001, the Academy provided Command and Staff Programs at various levels for officers and non-commissioned officers.

A four-year bachelor’s degree in social and military science cadet course was introduced by the academy in 2015.

The Rwanda Military Academy Gako now trains commanders at the company, platoon, and cadet officer levels.

Additionally, it provides units preparing for Peacekeeping missions with PSO pre-deployment training.

10. Tunisia Military Academy

The military academy was founded in 1966 and began operations in 1967. The facility is situated in Fondouk Djedid. It is a military school for academic teaching and officer training. This military academy’s establishment paved the way for the building of more military training centers in Tunisia.

The Military Academy is a center of excellence for military education, responsible for giving student officers of the land army, the main divisions of the Ministry of National Defense, and other Ministries, military, moral, and technical training across a variety of fields.