Nigerian Navy

Nigerian Navy information and recruitment Portal Mobile app

This Nigerian Navy information and recruitment Portal Mobile app will keep you updated and informed about important information and recruitment.

ABOUT THE NIGERIAN NAVY

The origin of the Nigerian Navy could be traced to the Marine Department of the Royal Navy established in 1887 as a quasi-military organization, which combined the duties of the present-day Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority and the Nigerian Navy. Elements of the Marine Department took part in military operations against the Germans in Cameroun during the First World War between 1914–1918. However, the colonial administration did not consider it necessary to establish a proper navy, as they believed that it was the duty of the Royal Navy to give naval protection to Nigeria.

Also, the Marine Department was considered adequate to look after security of the ports and coastal approaches and provide harbour services for Royal Navy ships on West African patrols. This was the situation until the end of the Second World War in 1945.

After the war, the colonial administration preferred that emphasis be placed on port-related duties for the Marine Department.

A proposal was then made to establish NPA. The officers of the Marine Department, who belonged to Royal Navy Reserve, did not give up on the idea of a navy and therefore continued to press for the establishment of a naval force. The agitation for the establishment of a navy was succinctly summarized in the words of Mr LL Olakunle, a member of Parliament in 1556. He said “If we must have a Nigerian Navy, then we must have something along the pattern of the British Navy”.

With further pressure from our nationalists, the colonial administration disbanded the colonial Marine Department.

Sequel to this action, 250 officers and men of the disbanded Marine Department were put together to form the nucleus of the Nigerian Naval Force (NNF) in April 1956. The Force was later renamed Naval Defence Force (NDF) of Nigeria. Efforts of the Marine Department officers eventually led to the policy statement by the Colonial Government of Nigeria contained in the Sessional Paper No. 6 of 1956 for the establishment of a Naval Defence Force (NDF).

Read more on http://www.navy.mil.ng