🇳🇬
Nigerian Military Ranks
The Nigerian Army has 19 ranks — 11 officer and 8 enlisted — from Private up to Field marshal. Below: all 58 ranks across 3 branches (Army, Navy, Air Force), with insignia and NATO-code equivalents.
Branches
3
Ranks documented
58
Active personnel
143K
Army
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 19 of 19 matched
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria · Army | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Field marshal
|
OF-10 Marshal / General of the Army |
General of the Army
|
General
|
OF-9 General |
General
|
Lieutenant general
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Lieutenant general
|
Major general
|
OF-7 Major General |
Major general
|
Brigadier-general
|
OF-6 Brigadier General |
Brigadier general
|
Colonel
|
OF-5 Colonel |
Colonel
|
Lieutenant colonel
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
Lieutenant colonel
|
Major
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
Major
|
Captain
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Lieutenant
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Second lieutenant
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Army warrant officer
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command sergeant major
Sergeant major
|
Master warrant officer
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command sergeant major
Sergeant major
|
Warrant officer
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
First sergeant
Master sergeant
|
Staff sergeant
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
Sergeant first class
|
Sergeant
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
Staff sergeant
|
Corporal
|
OR-4 Corporal |
Specialist
Corporal
|
Lance corporal
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Private first class
|
| Private | OR-1 Private | Private |
Navy
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 20 of 20 matched
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria · Navy | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Admiral of the Fleet
|
OF-10 Marshal / General of the Army |
Fleet admiral
|
Admiral
|
OF-9 General |
Admiral
|
Vice admiral
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Vice admiral
|
Rear admiral
|
OF-7 Major General |
Rear admiral
|
Commodore
|
OF-6 Brigadier General |
Rear admiral (lower half)
|
Captain
|
OF-5 Colonel |
Captain
|
Commander
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
Commander
|
Lieutenant commander
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
Lieutenant commander
|
Lieutenant
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Lieutenant
|
Sub-lieutenant
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Ensign
|
Midshipman
|
OF-D Student Officer |
Midshipman / officer candidate
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
| Navy warrant officer | OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command master chief petty officer
Master chief petty officer
|
Master warrant officer
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command master chief petty officer
Master chief petty officer
|
| Warrant officer | OR-8 1st Sergeant |
Command senior chief petty officer
Senior chief petty officer
|
| Chief petty officer | OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
Chief petty officer
|
Petty officer
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
Petty officer first class
|
Leading seaman
|
OR-4 Corporal |
Petty officer third class
|
| Able seaman | OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Seaman
|
| Seaman | OR-2 Private |
Seaman apprentice
|
| Ordinary seaman | OR-1 Private | Seaman recruit |
Air Force
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 19 of 19 matched
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria · Air Force | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Marshal of the air force
|
OF-10 Marshal / General of the Army |
General of the Air Force
|
Air chief marshal
|
OF-9 General |
General
|
Air marshal
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Lieutenant general
|
Air vice-marshal
|
OF-7 Major General |
Major general
|
Air commodore
|
OF-6 Brigadier General |
Brigadier general
|
Group captain
|
OF-5 Colonel |
Colonel
|
Wing commander
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
Lieutenant colonel
|
Squadron leader
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
Major
|
Flight lieutenant
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Flying officer
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Pilot officer
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
| Air warrant officer | OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command chief master sergeant
First sergeant
Chief master sergeant
|
Master warrant officer
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command chief master sergeant
First sergeant
Chief master sergeant
|
Warrant officer
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
First sergeant
Senior master sergeant
|
Flight sergeant
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
First sergeant
Master sergeant
|
Sergeant
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
Technical sergeant
|
Corporal
|
OR-4 Corporal |
Senior airman
|
Lance corporal
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Airman first class
|
| Aircraftman | OR-1 Private | Airman basic |
Overview
- Nigerian Army: Headquartered at the Armed Forces Complex in Abuja, the branch conducts land-based operations, territorial defense, and counter-insurgency campaigns. It is operationally divided into ten divisions, including mechanized infantry, armored, and composite formations, to address domestic security challenges and cross-border operations. The professional head of the service is the Chief of Army Staff.
- Nigerian Navy: Headquartered in Abuja, the branch conducts maritime defense, exclusive economic zone policing, and anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea. Its operational structure comprises the Western, Central, and Eastern Naval Commands, alongside specialized Training, Logistics, and Special Operations Commands. The service operates a fleet of offshore patrol vessels, fast attack crafts, and landing ships under the Chief of the Naval Staff.
- Nigerian Air Force: Headquartered in Abuja, the branch conducts tactical air support, aerial reconnaissance, and combat operations in support of joint military objectives. Its organizational structure consists of six main commands: Tactical Air, Special Operations, Mobility, Air Training, Ground Training, and Logistics Commands. The service operates a fleet of multirole fighters, combat helicopters, and transport aircraft directed by the Chief of the Air Staff.
Nigeria Military
Related Pages
Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) and other open sources.
Insignia image credits
- Skjoldbro — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: General, Lieutenant general, Major general, Brigadier-general, Colonel, Lieutenant colonel, Major, Captain (Army), Lieutenant (Army), Second lieutenant, Captain (Navy), Commander, Lieutenant commander, Lieutenant (Navy), Sub-lieutenant, Air chief marshal, Air marshal, Air vice-marshal, Air commodore, Group captain, Wing commander, Squadron leader, Flight lieutenant, Flying officer, Pilot officer
- Cdjp1 — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Army warrant officer, Master warrant officer, Warrant officer (Army), Staff sergeant, Petty officer, Warrant officer (Air Force), Flight sergeant, Sergeant, Corporal, Lance corporal
- MrInfo2012 — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Field marshal, Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral, Vice admiral, Rear admiral, Commodore, Midshipman, Marshal of the air force
- Militarystoryarchive — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Sergeant, Corporal, Lance corporal
- Lumia1234 — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Master warrant officer
- Sodacan — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Leading seaman