Nigerian Military Ranks And Their Equivalent
In Nigeria, the military is a highly respected organization. It is composed of three branches: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. The Nigerian military has a rank structure that is similar to each other. In this post, we will outline the ranks of the Nigerian military and their equivalents. Meanwhile you also check their salary structure and the highest paid Force among them.
Ranks in the Nigerian Military
Nigeria has a military rank system, with the president of Nigeria as the head of the armed forces.
The first is the commissioned officers who are in charge of some specific areas of the military. The next is non-commissioned officers, who are responsible for leading and training of other Non Commissioned officers.
Nigeria military ranks and Equivalent are listed in descending order below:
ARMY | NAVY | AIR FORCE |
| Recruit | Trainee | Trainee |
Private | Ordinary Seaman | Aircraftman / woman |
| Lance Corporal | Seaman | Lance Corporal
|
| Corporal | Able Seaman | Corporal |
| Sergeant | Leading Seaman | Sergeant |
| Staff Sergeant | Petty Officer | Flight Sergeant |
| Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer |
| Master Warrant Officer | Master Warrant Officer | Master Warrant Officer |
| Army Warrant Officer | Navy Warrant Officer | Air Warrant Officer |
| Second Lieutenant | Midshipman | Pilot Officer |
| Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant | Flying Officer |
| Captain | Lieutenant | Flight Lieutenant |
| Major | Lieutenant Commander | Squadron Leader |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Commander | Wing Commander |
| Colonel | Captain | Group Captain |
| Brigadier General | Commodore | Air Commodore |
| Major General | Rear Admiral | Air Vice-Marshal |
| Lieutenant General | Vice-Admiral | Air Marshal |
| General | Admiral | Air Chief Marshal |
| Field Marshal | Admiral of the Fleet | Marshal of the Air Force |
How Nigerian military ranks compare to other militaries
Nigerian military ranks are similar to those of other Commonwealth countries. The rank insignia for Nigerian military officers are also very similar to those used by the British Armed Forces. This is likely because Nigeria was once a British colony. The rank structure of the Nigerian military is also very similar to that of the United States military. They also have ranks like (private, corporal, sergeant), Warrant officers who are seniors to other non-commissioned officers, and officers who are in charge of everything from a platoon to an entire battalion.
The Most senior Nigerian military rank
The most senior Nigerian military rank is the Chief of Defense Staff. He is responsible for the overall administration and command of the Nigerian Armed Forces. He reports directly to the President of Nigeria who is the commander in chief of the Armed Forces.
The Lowest Rank in the Nigerian military
The lowest rank in the Nigerian military is the Private followed by the Lance corporal, and then the Corporal.
The final rank in the Nigerian military is the Field Marshall, which is the highest rank in the armed forces.
In Nigeria, military ranks are determined by the level of authority and responsibility a soldier has. The highest rank in the Nigerian military is the “President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. The lowest rank is a private. Nigerian military ranks are equivalent to ranks in some other countries’ militaries.
