Nigerian Navy: Ranks, Salary, Ships, Logo, Courses, Website, Recruitment (Portal, Process & Training)

History

The Nigerian Marine Corps laid the foundation for the Nigerian Navy. The Nigerian Marine, as it was known after 1914, was a quasi-military organization created in 1914 after the union of the then Northern and Southern Nigeria. In 1893, this Force grew to become the Southern Nigerian Marine.

An analogous entity for Northern Nigeria was created in 1900. In 1914, the two Marine Corps were combined. The responsibilities included establishing the ports and harbors, channel dredging, buoyancy, and illumination. Also, it ran tour launches, ferry services, and other small boats that traveled the different inland canals and creeks.

The Nigerian Ports Authority was the first of these new entities, and it was in charge of managing ports and guaranteeing safe navigation. The Inland Waterways Department, the second organization, took over the operation of ferries and touring launches. The third organization was the Nigerian Naval Force, primarily composed of reserve officers from the Royal Navy and former service members who had been moved from the defunct Nigerian Marine to the Nigerian Ports Authority. Its main task was preparing the workforce and establishing the envisaged Navy’s required infrastructure.

When Queen Elizabeth II permitted the Nigerian Naval Force to use the title “Royal Nigerian Navy,” it became a full-fledged navy. Once Nigeria became a republic, the name was changed to “Nigerian Navy” in 1963. After the 1958 Ordinance was repealed in 1964, the Navy’s legal mandate was increased. For the first time, the Navy was responsible for the “naval defense of Nigeria” under the new law, the Navy Act of 1964. The 1964 Act also gave the Navy other duties that were effectively coast guard responsibilities, such as aiding in enforcing customs regulations, conducting hydrographic surveys, and instructing officers and men in naval responsibilities.

The political leadership came under increasing pressure from the naval command to redefine the Navy’s constitutional function. As a result, armed Forces Decree 105, now commonly referred to as the Armed Forces Act, was included as a part of the 1999 Constitution after the desired outcome was achieved in 1993 due to this pressure. As a result, expanded military and law enforcement responsibilities were granted to the Nigerian Navy, particularly in the oil and gas sectors of the country’s marine economy.

Ranks

The Nigerian Navy’s actions are overseen solely by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), who also commands the country’s naval command centers alongside other senior military personnel in that order. Therefore, the Nigerian Navy’s highest-ranked officer with this rank is the most senior.

The Nigerian Navy has two divisions:

1. Commissioned Officers
2. Non-Commissioned Officers

The Nigerian Navy ranks for commissioned officers are as follows:

Commissioned Officers

• Admiral of the Fleet

Throughout the history of the Nigerian Military, this is the highest rank that no officer has ever obtained because it is a five-star rank. The only rank with a distinctive symbol from the others is this one. It is provided purely on merit and cannot be acquired through promotion. A Marshal of the Air Force and a Field Marshal are equivalent to an Admiral of the Fleet in the Nigerian Army and Navy, respectively.

 

• Admiral

Four-star rank is the second-highest level in the Nigerian Navy and the Nation’s forces. It is comparable to an Air Chief Marshal in the Air Force and a General in the Army.

• Vice-Admiral

This is a three-star navy rank. According to all previous and current Chiefs of Naval Staff, this rank or lower is the highest level ever attained in the country’s naval Force. However, it is equivalent to air marshal and lieutenant general in the Air Force and the Army. It is also equal in rank to the office of the country’s Vice-President.

• Rear Admiral

This is a two-star rank in the Navy, the second highest after vice admiral. It is analogous to the military posts of Major General and Air Vice Marshal.

• Commodore

The lowest (senior ranking) General position in the Navy is this one-star title, which follows the rear admiral rank. The Brigadier General position in the Army and the Air Commodore rank in the Air Force are comparable.

• Captain

This is the next commissioned rank before Commodore. It has the same standing as a group captain in the air force and a colonel in the Army.

• Commander

This is the position rank that comes before Captain. It is comparable to the Lieutenant Colonel, and wing commander ranks in the Army and airforce.

• Lieutenant Commander

This rank follows the Commander position. It is comparable to the roles of squadron leader in the air force or Lieutenant Commander in the Army.

• Lieutenant

It is a junior commissioned officer rank in the Navy. Equivalent to an Army captain and an Air Force flight lieutenant.

• Sub-Lieutenant

It is a junior commission rank. It is the rank that Direct Short Service DSSC officers receive following their commission. Equivalent to a lieutenant in the Army and a flying officer in the airforce.

• Acting Sub-Lieutenant

As the rank implies, it precedes the sub-lieutenant rank as it serves in the capacity of the absence of the sub-lieutenant. Therefore, it can be seen as a deputy role.

• Mid-Shipman

The lowest commission rank for an officer is this one. Moreover, it is the rank that newly commissioned regular cadets are assigned after their commission, similar to a second lieutenant in the Army and a pilot officer in the air force.

 

Non-Commissioned Officers

There are various levels of noncommissioned navy personnel in Nigeria. First, noncommissioned officers (or seamen) enlisted directly in the Military (Direct Entry). Often, these officers have O-level qualifications or less prestigious degrees from respectable universities. They are listed in order from top to lowest and are as follows:

• Warrant Chief Petty Officer(Navy Warrant Officer )

Its symbol is a golden eagle with a matching golden crown of olive leaves.

• Chief Petty Officer(Master Warrant Officer)

The military equipment is under the command of these officers. The Master Warrant Officer/Master Sergeant is represented by the Nigerian Coat of Arms, which features gold on the background with silver horses.

• Petty Officer(Warrant Officer)

This is a senior non-commissioned rank in the Nigerian Army. Petty Officers are comparable to Pilot Sergeants in the air force and Staff Sergeants in the Army. They have three shoulder logos and a golden eagle.

• Leading Rating( Leading Seaman)

A leading Seaman is a junior non-commissioned officer rank with three shoulder rankings and equivalent to Sergeant in the Army and Air Force.

• Able Rating(Able Seaman)

The two shoulder insignia on an able seaman signify their rank. They are identical to Corporals in both the Army and the Air Force.

• Ordinary Rating(Seaman)

It is the lowest officer level, although it is somewhat above recruit or trainee. Sailors also wear a single shoulder mark. It is similar to a Lance Corporal position in the Army and the Air Force.

• Trainee

Military trainees at the bottom of the army hierarchy will hold this rank. In general, recruits lack shoulder markings, whereas trainees could have one.

Salary

In addition to the dignity and status of being a naval officer, the Nigerian Navy attracts many people due to its competitive pay. Therefore, many people who desire to join the Navy always look online for reliable details about the Nigerian Navy’s pay scale and benefits.

Commissioned Officers

Admiral

An Admiral earns around ₦1,358,595 every month and ₦16,303,140 annually, as the Vice Admiral takes home a monthly pay of ₦1,113,602 and ₦13,363,229 a year.

Rear-Admiral

The Rear-Admiral earns ₦1,003,245 a month and ₦12,038,945 per year, while a Commodore earns ₦615,488 every month and ₦7,385,856 annually.

Captain

A Captain will be earning around ₦309,655 per month and ₦3,715,859 over the year, and a Commander receives a total sum of ₦3,380,086 at the end of the year and ₦281674 monthly.

Lieutenant commander

A lieutenant commander takes home ₦230,000 monthly and ₦2,760,000. A lieutenant will monthly earn ₦210,674 and ₦2,528,088 annually.

Sub-lieutenant

The sub-lieutenant will go home with ₦181,500 monthly and ₦2,178,000 at the year’s end. The Midshipman earns over ₦102,000 monthly and ₦1224000 annually.

Officer cadet

The officer cadet goes home with ₦90,500 and must have received a total of ₦1,086,000 at the end of the year.

Non-Commissioned Officers

The non-commissioned ranks have a salary structure too, and it is thus:

Warrant Chief Petty Officer(Navy Warrant Officer ):

₦86,550 monthly

Chief Petty Officer(Master Warrant Officer):

Ranging from ₦77,300 to ₦80,000 monthly

Petty Officer(Warrant Officer):

₦75,010 monthly

Leading Rating( Leading Seaman):

₦50,020 monthly

Able Rating(Able Seaman):

₦45,100 monthly

Ordinary Rating(Seaman):

₦40,200 monthly

Trainee:

₦35,100 monthly

Ships

On Nigerian Navy ships, there are four central departments: operations, marine engineering, weapon engineering, and logistics. Each department is overseen by an officer known as the head of the department. For all administrative reasons, he reports directly to the Executive Officer instead of the Commanding Officer.

For smaller vessels, the Executive Officer serves as the Operations Department’s head and the second in command On all navy ships. On bigger ships, the Principal Warfare Officer is the muscle of the Operations Department, while the Executive Officer serves as second in command.
The Coxswain is the title given to the senior sailor rating in the rating cadre. The Coxswain (E.M.T.), who resembles an M.P., coordinates the work ratings and discipline.

The Nation’s fleet can be said to be quite a number and ranges from large vessels to smaller ones, but all serve the purpose of the Navy and its objectives. The Nigerian Navy’s Special Boat Service is a special operations division. It is a male-only organization modeled after the Special Boat Service of the Royal Navy.

It focuses primarily on, but is not limited to, coastal and riverine operations, including surveillance and reconnaissance; covert beach reconnaissance before an amphibious assault; recovery or protection of ships and oil installations subject to hostile state or non-state action; maritime counterterrorism; and offensive action.
Ten SBS commandos boarded the Tommi Ritscher, a container ship seized by pirates off the coast of Benin, on April 21, 2020. The SBS commandos received a letter of commendation from the government of Benin.

The Nigerian Navy commissioned ten new small vessels and six new Ocea rapid patrol boats on September 3, 2018. The patrol boats consist of four smaller FPB 72 MKII hulls, Shiroro (P 185), Ose (P 186), Gongola (P 189), and Calabar (P 189), as well as two FPB 110 MKII hulls, Nguru (P 187) and Ekulu (P 188) delivered[21] earlier this year by France’s Ocea Shipbuilding firm (P 190). Delivery of all vessels took place between the end of 2017 and April 2018.

The Nigerian Navy received two brand-new Ocea FPB 110 MK II Fast Patrol Boats before the six new Ocea fast patrol boats arrived. Ocea previously delivered 7 FPB 72 MK II boats in three batches: three in 2012, one FPB 98 in 2013, two in 2017, and two in January 2023. The Nigerian Port Authority ordered the FPB 72 and FPB 98 but handed them to the  Nigerian Navy.

The Nigerian Navy has made an order for 15 brand-new Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats, according to Paramount Maritime Holding, a South African defense company (RHIB). The order includes 8.5- and 9.5-meter Guardian fast patrol boats and will cover training for Nigerian Navy and marine personnel. In addition, the Navy received the AgustaWestland AW139 Search and Rescue aircraft on September 8 from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

Nigeria’s President Buhari commissioned 118 newly purchased ships and boats, including a helicopter Westland Lynx in addition to the Aeronautic Aerostar, on December 10 as part of his administration’s effort to increase the capabilities of the Nigerian Navy. Long Range patrol cutters NNS Thunder(F90), NNS Okpabana(F93), Corvettes NNS Centenary(F91) and NNS Unity(F92), Minesweepers NNS Ohue(M371) and NNS Barama(M372) are amongst the fleet owned by the Navy including other patrol boats like NNS Dorina(P101), Karaduwa(P102), Agu(P180), Siri(P181) and Damisa(P179).

Logo

The Nigerian Naval ensign is all-white with no red cross, the Nigerian flag in the canton, and the naval logo on the fly. The NIGERIAN NAVY / ONWARD TOGETHER inscription is written in black on Yellow background at the bottom of a blue oval with a cable-style white anchor and the national red bird.

Courses

The Navy will accept applications from undergraduates, holders of master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees in education, and bachelor’s degrees in technology.

Courses on offer to be studied include Maritime Sciences, Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, Legal Sciences, Finance and Banking, Accounting, Theology, English language education Maths, Physics\sChemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Science History Library, Counseling and Guidance in Computer Science, Chinese language, Arabic language, and French language, Maritime and mechanical engineering, Engineering for Aircraft, Engineering in Electrical and Electronics, Architectural Engineering for the Navy, Managing Human Resources, Hydrology\sGeology, Islamic Research, Journalism in mass media, Website Management and Development, Pharmacy and Nursing, and Server Administration amongst others.

Website

Visit the official page for the Navy Recruiting at http://joinnigeriannavy.com/requirements/ for more information.

Recruitment (Portal, Process & Training)

Graduates with degrees and certifications are qualified for the Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) in the Nigerian Navy. The N.N. Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) online registration session will soon begin.
It is suggested that eligible and interested candidates submit their applications via the official N.N. recruitment portal to prevent fraud. During application, one per applicant is acceptable.

The applicants must be of Nigerian ethnicity and between the ages of 20 and 30 by September 30, 2023. (25–40 years for medical consultants)
Applicants also need to be grads and single. All Candidates must also meet all employment and medical standards of the Nigerian Navy and be in good physical and medical health.

The minimum height requirements for men are 1.66 meters (5.4 feet), and women are 1.63 meters (5.3 feet).

Second Class Upper Division or Upper Credit is the minimal qualification for applicants with first degrees and HNDs. Candidates must also have honors in math and English and three additional credits in fields related to the degree program. Furthermore, helpful will be computer literacy.

Applicants require a minimum of four credits from WASSCE, NECO, GCE, or NABTEB in no more than two sittings. In addition, candidates must be appropriately registered with their respective statutory professional organizations in Nigeria, if applicable. A letter of exemption from NYSC or a discharge certificate from NYSC must be presented when applying for the DSSC. Accepted applicants will be invited via the selection board interview exercise via the portal.

The Nigerian Armed Forces

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