The Bothroponera sulcata ant species complex is distributed in Afrotropical areas, including tropical and subtropical ecosystems and is part of a poorly known group of ants. The sulcata species complex now includes 10 species, including 3 new species, 2 taxa elevated to species status and 7 new synonyms: B. ancilla Emery, B. crassa Emery, B. crassior Santschi (= B. ilgii syn. nov., Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) crassa st. crassior var. andrieui referred here), B. kruegeri Forel (= B. asina syn. nov., = B. rhodesiana syn. nov.), B. notaula (sp. nov.), B. picardi Forel, B. pilosuperficia (sp. nov.), B. ryderae (sp. nov.), B. silvestrii Santschi (= B. kenyensis syn. nov., = B. nimba syn. nov.) and B. soror Emery (= B. lamottei syn. nov., =B. suturalis (syn. nov.). The main defining character of this complex is the presence of a metatibial gland; however, there are other characters such as the shape of the anterior clypeal border, mandible surface and shape, teeth number and posterior dorsopropodeal shape (broadly or strongly curved or angulated). Diagnosis, comparisons, illustrations, distributions and other information about the species are provided with a key for the worker caste.