10 African countries with mandatory military service for citizens

Maxwell Nyagamago 09:39 - 28 February 2025

President John Mahama has announced plans to introduce short-term military training as part of the National Service Scheme (NSS).

Delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, 27th February, he stated that the initiative aims to promote fitness, discipline, and patriotism among national service personnel.

Military service plays a crucial role in national defence and citizen development. While some countries rely on voluntary enlistment, others enforce mandatory military training for young people as part of their national service obligations.

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Across the world, countries take different approaches to military recruitment. In some nations, all males—and in certain cases, females—of a specified age must serve in the military for a fixed period, typically between one and three years.

Military service

This policy is often found in countries with high security concerns or authoritarian governance.

As Ghana considers implementing its own version of military training, here are 10 African countries that have already adopted mandatory military service for their citizens.

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10 AFRICAN COUNTRIES WITH MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE

COUNTRY	DETAILS
1. Egypt	18-36 months for males 18-30, who then become reserves for 9 years
2. Sudan	12-24 months for males and females 18-33
3. Algeria	12 months for males aged 19-30
4. Morocco	12 months for males and females at age 19
5. Angola	24 months for males aged 20-45
6. Niger	24 months selective compulsory service in military (females may also serve in health care) for unmarried males and females at age 18.
7. Senegal	24 months selective compulsory service for males (and possibly females) at age 20
8. Guinea Bissau	24 months selective compulsory service for males and females aged 18-25
9. Equatorial Guinea	24 months selective compulsory for males at age 18, though conscription is rare in practice.
10. Cape Verde	24 months selective compulsory for males and females 18-35

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