The Nigerian Navy (NN) is the naval branch of the Nigerian armed forces. The Nigerian Navy owes its origin to the Nigerian Marine. Formed in 1914 after the amalgamation of the then Northern and Southern Nigeria, the Nigerian Marine, as it became known after 1914, was a quasi-military organization.
This force expanded to become the Southern Nigerian Marine in 1893. A Northern Nigeria equivalent was formed in 1900. The two Marines were merged in 1914. Responsibilities included administration of the ports and harbours, dredging of channels, buoyage and lighting.
In July 1959, the Nigerian Naval Force was transformed into a full-fledged Navy when Queen Elizabeth II granted permission for it to use the title "Royal Nigerian Navy". The name was changed to the "Nigerian Navy" in 1963 after Nigeria became a republic.
Flag of the Nigerian Navy
The constitutional task of the Navy was expanded in 1964 after the repeal of the 1958 Ordinance. These tasks were essentially routine functions of any navy. Consequently, the naval leadership began to mount pressure on the political leadership to re-define the constitutional role of the navy.
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Structure and Organization
The NN is currently structured into 11 Branches at the Naval Headquarters, 6 commands and a number of autonomous units. The 6 commands are made up of 3 operational commands - Western Naval Command, Central Naval Command and Eastern Naval Command with headquarters located at Apapa, Yenagoa and Calabar- as well as the Training, Doctrine & Logistics Commands with headquarters at Ebubu rivers state, Bonny camp VI and Oghara respectively.
Each of the 6 commands is headed by a Flag Officer of the rank of Rear Admiral. The autonomous units and support facilities enable the NN to maintain the fleet and personnel for sustained operations. The Naval Headquarters is the administrative and policy-making organ of the Nigerian Navy. At its head is the Chief of the Naval Staff, who exercises full command of the Nigerian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff currently has eleven staff branches including the Office of the Navy Secretary.
Operational Commands
- Western Naval Command: Headquarters is located at Apapa in Lagos.
- Eastern Naval Command: Covers the sea area from longitude 6° 30'E in Delta State to the Nigeria/Cameroon border at longitude 8° 30' E, and from the Nigerian coastline to the limit of the nation's exclusive economic zone. The headquarters is at Calabar.
- Central Naval Command: The headquarters is in Yenagoa in Bayelsa State.
Training and Logistics
- Naval Training Command: Main functions are the coordination and harmonization of training doctrines and standards for all local training in the Nigerian Navy.
- Logistics Command: The permanent headquarters is at Oghara, Delta State.
Autonomous Units
The autonomous units are those units which require prudent management and high-level control that need not be duplicated or represented at the lower hierarchy. Though small in size, they report directly to the Chief of the Naval Staff. Prominent among the autonomous units is the Nigerian Naval Dockyard, located in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Hitherto, third line maintenance had been carried out either in foreign dockyards or private ones in Nigeria, at very high cost. The Naval Dockyard in Lagos, which was commissioned on 27 August 1990, now takes care of high level maintenance, such as major overhaul of ships engines, additions and alterations, and modification of designs. The Naval Shipyard in Port Harcourt was also acquired in 1990 from Messrs Witt and Bush. Smaller ships of the Nigerian Navy and merchant ships are repaired there.
The 101 Squadron was established in 1985, based at Navytown, near Ojo. It operated AgustaWestland Lynx helicopters for anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue (SAR) operations from the Meko class frigate NNS Aradu.
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The Special Boat Service is a special operations unit of the Nigerian Navy. It is a male only outfit fashioned after the Royal Navy's Special Boat Service.
There are four main departments on Nigerian Navy ships. These are operations, marine engineering, weapon engineering, and logistics. An officer, who is referred to as the head of department, is in charge of each department. He reports directly to the commanding officer on operational matters or through the Executive Officer on all administrative matters.
The Executive Officer is the second in command on all naval ships, as well as being the head of the Operations Department on smaller ships. On larger ships the Executive Officer remains the second in command, but the Principal Warfare Officer is the head of the Operations Department.
In the ratings cadre, the most senior seaman rating is referred to as the Coxswain.
International Cooperation and Exercises
The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) conducted an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) demonstration, a fleet maneuver exercise, and an oil platform security and boarding exercise with the Nigerian Navy in the Gulf of Guinea, Sept. 29-Oct.
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The units conducted the exercise to build partner capacity and exercise Nigerian capabilities to track and intercept vessels of interest within the country’s Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ). Other operations and training the ship can conduct include support to Special Operations, command and control, and staging of equipment and other assets, as directed.
“The Nigerian Navy is a leader in maritime security in Atlantic Africa,” said Capt. David L. Gray, commanding officer, Hershel “Woody” Williams, Blue Crew.
USS Hershel "Woody" Williams conducts exercises with the Nigerian Navy.
Naval Vessel Repair and Refurbishment
This March, in a landmark move to bolster maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, the Nigerian Navy entered into an agreement with the Benin Republic Navy (BRN) to undertake the refurbishment of six BRN warships. This initiative is set to significantly enhance the naval capabilities of Benin and contribute to the safety and security of the crucial maritime region.
The agreement, which encompasses the docking and repair of the Beninois navy ships, was formalized at the Naval Dockyard Limited (NDL) in Victoria Island, Lagos. The signing ceremony took place at the BRN Naval Headquarters in Cotonou, marking a historic moment for both nations.
The Admiral Superintendent of NDL, Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, highlighted the significance of the agreement, stating that the warships-BNS PENDJARI, BNS OUEME, BNS ALIBORI, BNS ZOU, BNS MATELOT BRICE KPOMASSE, and BNS COUFFFO-had already set sail from Cotonou to Lagos. The refurbishment process is expected to span 10 months, during which the NDL will apply its expertise to restore the vessels to their optimal condition.
The Nigerian Naval Dockyard Limited (NDL) have completed the repair and refurbishment of the first of six naval warships belongings to the Benin Navy. The vessel has been handed over to Benin.
Abolaji Orederu, NDL admiral superintendent, spoke in Lagos during the handover ceremony on Wednesday that the ship that was repaired and refurbished is the Benin Navy ship (BNS) PENDJARI 900.
Goussanou Bernard, the chief of operations of the Benin Navy, said the ship would be deployed to fight insecurity on the waterways.
“We intend to deploy it to our maritime space. Nigeria and Benin are in the same Zone E, and we are facing the same threats. So, we need all ships to tackle insecurity,” the captain said.
Bernard noted that the relationship between both countries is rooted in a strong foundation, adding that the initiative would cement the bond.
Modernization Efforts
The Nigerian Navy has been undergoing significant modernisation since the beginning of the last decade in response to the criminal activities occurring in its area of responsibility in the Gulf of Guinea.
On 3 September 2018, in an official ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard in Lagos, the Nigerian Navy commissioned six new Ocea fast patrol boats and ten new small boats. The patrol boats include two FPB 110 MKII hulls - Nguru (P 187) and Ekulu (P 188) delivered earlier this year by France's Ocea Shipbuilding company - and four smaller FPB 72 MKII hulls - Shiroro (P 185), Ose (P 186), Gongola (P 189), and Calabar (P 190).
In October 2018, Paramount Maritime Holding, a South African-based defense company revealed that the Nigerian Navy has placed an order for 15 new build Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB). On 8 September 2018, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency handed over its AgustaWestland AW139 Search and Rescue helicopter to the Nigerian Navy.
In December 2019, the Navy ordered 4 Units of ARESA 1700 IPC Inshore Patrol Vessels to the Spanish shipbuilder ARESA SHIPYARD.
CAPABILITIES OF NIGERIAN NAVY'S NNS CENTENARY
Turkey's Dearsan Shipyard has completed conducting the initial sea trials of the second of two new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) that the company is building for the Nigerian Navy.
The OPV has a steel hull, an aluminium superstructure, a length of 76 metres, a beam of 11 metres, a displacement of 1,100 tonnes, a top speed of 28 knots, and space for up to 43 crewmembers. Armament will include 76mm and 40mm naval guns, four 12.7mm machine guns with two on stabilised weapon mounts, and surface-to-air missiles.
The vessel will also be fitted with air and surface search radars, a fire control radar, an electro-optical sensor, and chaff/decoy dispensers.
Current Fleet
Presently in possession of the Nigerian Navy is a MEKO 360 Type H1 frigate, NNS Aradu, which completed a refit in 2020 and will undergo refurbishment at Dearsan Shipyards in Turkiye.
As at 2012 the Benin Navy has a strength of approximately 200 personnel. It operates two ex-Chinese patrol boats, which are designated the Matelot Brice Kpomasse class.
| Vessel Type | Details |
|---|---|
| MEKO 360 Type H1 Frigate | NNS Aradu (undergoing refurbishment) |
| Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) | Two 76-meter OPVs built by Dearsan Shipyard |
| Fast Patrol Boats | Six Ocea fast patrol boats (FPB 110 MKII and FPB 72 MKII hulls) |
| Inshore Patrol Vessels | Four ARESA 1700 IPC ordered from ARESA SHIPYARD |
| Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) | 15 new build RHIBs ordered from Paramount Maritime |
| Helicopters | AgustaWestland AW139 (Search and Rescue) |
| Benin Navy Patrol Boats | Two ex-Chinese patrol boats (Matelot Brice Kpomasse class) |
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