Nigerian Navy Facts: Duties, Functions, Ranks, Badges & Salaries

Nigerian Navy Facts: Duties, Functions, Ranks, Badges & Salaries

When you talk about all water related warfare in Nigeria, then you talk about the Nigerian Navy.

The Nigerian Navy is one of the three branches of the Nigerian Military.

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• The Nigerian Army (In charge of Land warfare).
• The Nigerian Navy (In charge of all water related security and battles).
• The Nigerian Air Force (In charge of all air combats).

The history of the Nigerian Navy is traced way back to the pre-amalgamation days when the Northern and Southern protectorates had not been united.

Then, the Southern protectorates had their own marine (The Southern Nigerian Marine) which came into full existence in the year 1893, and the Northern protectorates had theirs (The Northern Nigerian Marine), which came into full existence 7 years later.

In 1914, these marine organizations (The Northern and Southern Marine) were joined together during the amalgamation.

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As the Southern and Northern protectorates united to form Nigeria, so was the marine joined to form “The Nigerian Marine” in 1914.

Some duties of the marine were controlling ports and harbours, dredging channels and bouyages. They were in charge of waterway security and all water related battles.

In 1959, the Nigerian Marine was granted the authority to use the name “Royal Nigerian Navy”, by Queen Elizabeth and thus, became a full-term Navy.

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Three years after Nigeria gained Independence (i.e 1963), this name was changed to “The Nigerian Navy”, as we have it today.

Aside from the change of title, every other thing like the colour, ranks, e.t.c, remained unchanged in the Nigerian Navy.

Like the other branches of the Nigerian military (Nigerian Army: In charge of Land combats, and the Nigerian Airforce: In charge of Air combats), the Nigerian Navy was also engaged in wars like the Nigerian Civil War, The First Liberian Civil War, The Sierra Leone Civil war and more.

They have been actively involved in all the battles fought by the Nigerian military.

At present, they are also fully involved in the fight against the Boko Haram Insurgency, The Conflict in Niger Delta, and The Invasion of the Gambia.

The official website of the Nigerian Navy is https://www.navy.mil.ng/

Their motto is “Onward Together”, and their headquarter is located in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

Currently, the Chief of Naval Staff in Nigeria is Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.

As you know, Nigeria was colonized by the British so it is no surprise, that the terms in the Nigerian military are affiliated to the British systems.

Like other military branches, the Nigerian Navy also has a ranking structure.

What are the ranks of Naval Officers?

The ranking structure of the Nigerian Navy is divided into two parts.

1. The Commissioned Officers.
2. The Non-Commissioned Officers.

Find below, the ranks of the non-commissioned naval officers in Nigeria, from the lowest to the highest.

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1. Trainee: As the name hints, these are naval soldiers undergoing training, or newly trained naval soldiers.

This is not actually regarded as a rank. It is when you pass out successfully from the training, that you’l be given your first rank.

2. Ordinary Rating: This is regarded as your first rank in the Nigerian Navy. When you pass out successfully from the naval training and become a naval soldier, you get the rank of an Ordinary Rating.
3. Able Rating: This is the Second rank as a non-commissioned naval officer. As you get promoted as an “Ordinary Rating”, you become an “Able Rating”.
4. Leading Rating: This rank is equivalent to a Sergeant in the Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Airforce.

It is the third rank as a non-commissioned officer.

5. Petty Officer: When you are promoted as a Leading Rating, you become a Petty Officer.

This rank is the fourth rank, and is the dawn of being a senior officer in the non-commissioned officers ranking category.

6. Chief Petty Officer: Immediately you get a promotion as a petty officer in the Nigerian Navy, you become a Chief Petty Officer.

This is one of the highest ranks as a non-commissioned officer.

7. Warrant Chief Petty Officer: This is the highest rank as a non-commissioned officer in the Nigerian Navy.

When you get promotion as a Chief Petty Officer, you become a Warrant Chief Petty Officer.

The ranks of the commissioned officers in the Nigerian Navy is as follows:

1. Mid-Shipman: This is the first rank as a commissioned officer. When once you get promoted as a Warrant Chief Petty Officer, you become a Mid-Shipman. It is the beginning of being a senior officer in the Nigerian Navy.

This rank is the first rank NDA naval Cadets get when they successfully pass out.

2. Acting Sub-Lieutenant: The acting Sub-Lieutenant is the second substitute of the Lieutenant.
3. Sub-Lieutenant: This is the first substitute of the Lieutenant.

You get promoted from being an acting Sub-Lieutenant, to being a Sub-Lieutenant. That is from being the second substitute of a Lieutenant, to being the first substitute.

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4. Lieutenant: When you are promoted from being the first substitute of the Lieutenant, you become a Lieutenant.

This is a high rank in the Nigerian Navy.

5. Lieutenant Commander: This is the next rank after the Lieutenant. When you become a Lieutenant Commander, you become a deputy to the Commander.
6. Commander: When you are promoted as a deputy Commander (Lieutenant Commander), you become a Commander.

In the Nigerian Army, this rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant Colonel while in the Nigerian Air Force, it is equivalent to the rank of a “Wing Commander”.

7. Captain: When you get a promotion as a Commander you become a Captain.

The Captain rank in the Navy is higher than that of the Army.

A captain in the Navy is equivalent to a Colonel in the Army.

They are mostly in control of huge ships in the Oceans.

8. Commodore: After being promoted as a Captain, you become a Commodore.

This is a very high rank in the Nigerian Navy. It is the last rank before you become an “Admiralty Officer”.

9. Rear Admiral: This is the next rank after a Commodore, and is the lowest rank amongst the “Admiral Ranks”.

It is the fourth highest rank in the navy, and the third highest rank attained in the Nigerian Navy.

10. Vice Admiral: This is the second rank as an “Admiral officer”. When you are promoted as a Rear Admiral, you become a Vice Admiral.

It is one of the highest ranks in the Nigerian Navy. In the Army, these are the Lieutenant Generals, while in the Nigerian Airforce, they are called the Air Vice Marshals.

11. Admiral: When you get a promotion as a Vice Admiral, you become an Admiral.

This is the second highest rank in the Navy, and the highest rank attained in the Nigerian Navy. It is equivalent to the General in the Army.

In the Air Force, these guys are called Chief Marshals.

12. Admiral of the Fleet: This is the highest rank in the Nigerian Navy. It is the rank above the Admiral.

No one has ever attained this rank in the history of Nigeria.

How much does the lowest rank in the Navy make?

As an aspiring member of the Nigerian Navy, it is natural to get curious and ask how much you would be paid on a monthly basis, after joining the Navy.

Well, the salaries of the Nigerian Naval officers (especially Lower ranks) are not always publicly known, but after gathering much information, we are able to give you the salary of the lowest rank in the Nigerian Navy.

In the Nigerian Navy, the lowest rank earns the sum of about45,000 Naira monthly.

This is an approximate amount and at such, the actual amount may be slightly higher, or lower, as the case may be.

How much is Naval Officer Salary?

Like I said earlier, the salary structure of the Nigerian Navy is not a disclosed information.

It is not publicly known, unlike that of the other armed forces in Nigeria however, we have been able to gather information on the salaries of some of the Commissioned Officers.

Below are the Salaries of some of the top commissioned officers in the Nigerian Navy.

1. Commander: In the Nigerian Navy, a Commander approximately receives the sum of #280,000.
2. Captain: A Captain in the navy earns about 305,000 Naira in Nigeria.
3. Commodore: As you are promoted as a Captain to a Commodore, your salary gets doubled.

When you become a Commodore, you bag about 615,000 Naira on a monthly basis.

4. Rear Admiral: When you attain an “Admiralty Rank” in the Nigerian Navy, you start dealing with millions.

As a Read Admiral, your take home salary on a monthly basis is about a whooping sum of #1million.

This is the third highest salary in the Nigerian Navy.

5. Vice Admiral: As you become a Vice Admiral, you start receiving approximately #1.2million monthly.
6. Admiral: As an Admiral, you bag a whooping sum of about #1.4million monthly.

This is the highest salary in the Nigerian Navy.

When calculated, Admirals bag up to about 16million Naira annually.

Now that is an eye opening sum.

7. Admiral Of the Fleet: There is no salary for this rank, as it has never been attained in Nigeria.

If there was, we are sure it would have been an amazingly high sum.

With the above information, you now have an idea on the salary range of some of the top officers in the Nigerian Navy.

Thus far, you now know about the Nigerian Navy, their ranks, and Salaries.

I hope this article answered your queries about the Nigerian Navy.