The Nigerian Army is the largest component of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is responsible for land warfare operations and is governed by the Nigerian Army Council. The army is headed by the Chief of Army Staff, who is appointed by the President of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Army has a well-defined rank and organizational structure. The ranks in the Nigerian Army signify levels of responsibilities and salary grades.
In this article, we take a look at the different ranks in the Nigerian Army, as well as the salary structure attached to these ranks.
Table Of Contents
The Nigerian Army Ranks and Salary Structure
Commissioned Officer Ranks
The highest ranks in the Nigerian Army belong to Commissioned Officers. These are officers who have received a commission to hold a position of authority and command troops. The Commissioned Officer ranks in ascending order are:
Second Lieutenant
The Second Lieutenant rank is usually reserved for new officers fresh out of the Nigerian Defence Academy or Short Service Commissions. It is the lowest commissioned officer rank and they receive a monthly basic salary between ₦100,000 – ₦120,000 depending on additional allowances.
Lieutenant
After serving some years as a Second Lieutenant, officers get promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. The Lieutenant oversees small units called platoons. Their salary range is usually between ₦150,000 – ₦180,000 per month.
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Captain
Captains are experienced officers that lead companies made up of three or four platoons. To reach this rank, an officer must have served at least eight years in the army. The monthly salary for a Captain ranges from ₦220,000 – ₦320,000.
Major
Majors serve as primary administrative and operational staff officers in battalion-sized units (300 to 1,200 troops). Their monthly take-home can be up to ₦350,000 depending on other allowances.
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonels usually command battalions and also serve as brigade or division chiefs of staff. Their salary can go up to ₦450,000 in a month with added allowances.
Colonel
The Colonel rank is the highest field officer rank before the general officer grades begin. Colonels usually serve as brigade commanders or hold other senior staff positions. They earn up to ₦550,000 monthly.
Brigadier General
A Brigadier General typically commands an infantry brigade, artillery brigade, or cavalry brigade. The minimum monthly salary for a Brigadier General falls between ₦700,000 – ₦750,000.
Major General
Major Generals serve as high-level staff officers and command divisions of 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. They earn around ₦950,000 as their take-home monthly pay.
Lieutenant General
Three-star Lieutenant Generals command armies corps made up of 25,000 to 50,000 troops. Their monthly salary ranges from N1 million to ₦1.5 million.
General
A four-star general serves as top commanders of armies or army groups of up to 100,000 soldiers. The Chief of Army Staff is appointed as a General. Their monthly take-home pay can go up to ₦2 million.
Non-Commissioned Officer Ranks
Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) are experienced senior enlisted personnel who have attained their rank after years of service. The Non-Commissioned Officer ranks in ascending order are:
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporals serve as assistants to Corporals. Their monthly salary can range from ₦55,000 to ₦65,000 depending on skills and year of service.
Corporal
Corporals command groups of 8 to 12 soldiers. They receive a monthly salary between ₦58,000 to ₦70,000.
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Sergeant
There are various sergeant ranks conferring higher responsibilities and pay grades. Sergeant majors and master sergeant majors are the highest sergeant ranks. Average monthly salary for sergeants falls between ₦63,000 to ₦80,000.
Warrant Officer Class One
A Warrant Officer Class One rank is assigned to senior weapon technicians and technical specialists. They can receive ₦150,000 in monthly salary range.
Master Warrant Officer
The Master Warrant Officer is the most senior warrant officer specialist rank. They take home between ₦250,000 to ₦300,000 monthly.
Cadet Ranks
The Nigerian Army also has cadet ranks for officer candidates undergoing training to become commissioned officers:
Officer Cadets
Officer cadets train to become Second Lieutenants. They receive ₦10,000 monthly as personal allowance during training.
Staff Cadets
Staff Cadet is the next rank above Officer Cadet. They get ₦20,000 as monthly personal allowance.
In Summary
The Nigerian Army maintains well-structured ranks and fair salary grades for its personnel.
The lowest-ranked privates earn around ₦50,000 monthly while the highest-ranked General can take home over ₦2 million monthly with all allowances included.
Periodic increments and promotions also allow officers and enlisted personnel to gradually ascend both rank and salary structure.