Nigerian Army: Ranks, Salary, Website, Logo, Headquarters, Recruitment & Shortlist Process

Background

The Nigerian Army (NA) is the country’s land combat arm. The Nigerian Army Council is responsible for running it (NAC). The highest-ranked military official in the Nigerian Army is the Chief of Army Staff. But beyond that essential information, there are other aspects of the Nigerian Army that many are not privy to, like their ranking, salary, website, headquarters, and other spheres.

That is where we come in with our torch to shine the light on such often neglected areas in the Nigerian Army that you thought you knew or don’t know at all. We’ll be breaking down the article into different topics for better clarity, starting with ranking in the Nigerian Army.

Ranks

Officers with a commission and non-commissioned officers make up the Nigerian Army’s two different rank groups. Beginning with the highest rank and working down, here are the commissioned officer ranks in the Nigerian Army:

1. Field Marshal (5-Star General)

   The highest rank in the Nigerian Army is Field Marshal. It has a 5-Star rank, which no one in Nigerian history has ever reached.

2. General (4-Star General)

   A Four-Star General is present. This is the highest position a Nigerian has ever held. NATO lists nine as the number.

3. Lieutenant General (3-Star General)

   A Lieutenant General is a high commission officer with a Three-Star General. NATO has classified it as number eight.

4. Major General (2-Star General)

   A medium commission officer, Major General is awarded a Two-Star General. NATO lists seven as the number.

5. Brigadier General (1-Star General)

   A One-Star General is awarded to the Brigadier General. NATO lists six as the number.

6. Colonel

   listed as number six by NATO.

7. Lieutenant Colonel

   A Lieutenant Colonel is the Colonel’s deputy and has a NATO rank of four.

8. Major

   As stated by NATO, the lowest tier of field officers is three.

9. Captain

   The highest rank in tactical troops, the captain is ranked as number two by NATO.

10. First Lieutenant

    The Captain’s deputy and immediately higher rank.

11. Second Lieutenant

    According to NATO, the First and Second Lieutenants are the same.

Following are the non-commissioned officer ranks in the Nigerian Army, from highest to lowest:

Non-commissioned Ranks

1. Master Warrant Officer

2. Warrant Officer

3. Staff Sergeant

4. Sergeant

5. Corporal

6. Lance Corporal

7. Private Soldier

8. Recruit

Salary

The pay scale for the Nigerian army is based on rank. A soldier’s pay in Nigeria is based on his rank and number of years of service. Below are listed the salaries of commissioned officers in the Nigerian Army, from highest to lowest:

1. General

   5 million Naira a month.

2. Lieutenant General

   Receive a monthly salary of 1,000,00 Naira.

3. Major General

   Major General earns 950,000 Naira a month, which ranks third highest.

4. Brigadier General

   The monthly salary for a brigadier general is N750,000.

5. Colonel

   The monthly salary for a Colonel is N550,000.

6. Lieutenant Colonel

   Monthly salary of N350,000.

7. Major

   monthly salary of 300,000 Naira

8. Captain

   monthly salary of 220,000 Naira

9. Lieutenant

   The monthly salary for a Lieutenant is 180,000 Naira.

10. Second Lieutenant

    Second Lieutenant earns N120,000 per month in salary.

Now, after all, other deductions have been done, listed below is how the men and women who risk their lives to protect people are rewarded. Keep in mind that they receive free dwellings as well as other benefits. Additionally, they do not pay for power. So, the is the non-commissioned officers’ wages in the Nigerian Army, from highest to lowest:

Non-commissioned Ranks

1. Master Warrant

   Master Warrant Officer receives N90,000.

2. Warrant Officer

   Warrant Officers make N80,000 per month.

3. Staff Sergeant

   The monthly salary for a staff sergeant is 68,000 Naira.

4. Sergeant

   63,000 Nigerian naira per month.

5. Corporal

   The monthly salary for a corporal is 58,000 Naira.

6. Lance Corporal

   The monthly salary for a Lance Corporal is between 54,000 and 55,000 Naira.

7. Private Soldier

   Private Soldier receives a monthly salary of 48,000 to 49,000 Naira.

Website

The official website for the Nigerian Army is “army.mil.ng,” where you can go to catch up on all the old and most recent happenings within the Nigerian Army. The website also comes beautified with colorful pictures to aid the storytelling.

Logo

The Nigerian Army’s emblem consists of an eagle, two interlocking six-pointed triangles, and Arabic lettering. The logo is red and black. The eagle represents the military might of Nigeria with grace. The eagle is revered as a majestic representation of grace, power, and elegance in many cultures around the world. In addition, the bird is renowned for its strong observation skills.

And as we all know, the Nigerian Army is known for conducting vigilant surveillance in times of peace and striking with eerie brutality and decisiveness when provoked beyond endurance. Six-pointed stars in the shape of two interlaced triangles represent Nigerian unity. By combining the Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914, Lord Lugard, the nation’s first Governor General, demonstrated this unity. Nasrunminallah, which translates from Arabic as “Victory Comes from God Alone,” is the meaning of the logo’s Arabic calligraphy.

When the Nigerian Indigenous Forces faced off against the invading colonial forces, they did so under a banner with this motto written on it. Shehu Usman Dan Fodio, the leader of the Sokoto Caliphate, is credited with creating this phrase. Then, before independence, the British embraced it. However, the British formally turned it over to the country just before it gained its independence.

Headquarters

The Nigerian Army HQ is located in Garki, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

Recruitment & Shortlist Process

You must meet the following recruitment requirements to join the Nigerian Army:

1. You need to be a native of Nigeria.
2. You must show up for the zonal screening exercise at the zone centers assigned to your state.
3. At the time of application, you must be between 18 and 22 (the official age range for non-tradesmen and women) or between 18 and 26 (for tradesmen and women).
4. You must also be at least 1.56 meters for women and 1.65 meters for men in height and be in good physical, mental, and medical health.
5. You must not have a criminal record or convictions.
6. On exam day, you must submit all duly completed paperwork at the testing location.

Entrance

For entrance into the Nigerian Army as a non-tradesperson or woman, candidates must have earned a minimum of 4 credits in no more than two sittings of WASSCE, GCE, NECO, or NABTEB. In addition, there must be at least one English-language credit.

Also, note that the following documents must be submitted with the application for the Nigerian Army:

1. Photocopies of Birth Certificate/Age Declaration.
2. Photocopies of academic and professional Certificates.
3. A letter of Identification signed by the identifying officer in Section F of the duly completed form (printed from the online application portal).

The Nigerian Armed Forces

• The Nigerian Army
• The Nigerian Navy
• The Nigerian Air Force