Ranks in the Nigerian army from lowest to highest

Do you want to serve in Nigerian Army? Do not forget to check its ranks! You should understand who gets which function in it. Niaja.ng is going to present you the full ranks of the Nigerian army. You will find out the lowest and the highest rank! It will help you to understand the functions of every person in the army.

Non-Commissioned officers in the military ranks in the Nigerian army

There are eight ranks of non-commissioned officers in Nigerian army. They all have their task to follow in Nigerian army ranks. Let`s take a look at who they are and their main responsibilities.

1. Recruit

It`s the lowest rank in the Nigerian army. The main idea of this person is to be under command. Recruits are people who just joined the army. Nevertheless, they always have an opportunity to grow in a career.

2. Private

The second lowest military rank in Nigeria. They are just soldiers to be commanded. Still, they have more experience compared to recruits. The usage of the term private can be tracked back to the eighteen century. It defined individuals who were hired be feudal to the service. Therefore, all countries who had a historical connection with England have privates in their armies.

3. Lance-Corporal

It`s usually a person who is the second-in-command of a section. The name of this military rank comes from Italy. The original meaning was “the one who broke a spear during a battle.” Therefore, this person was an experienced fighter who had a right to command other low ranks.

4. Corporal

It`s another military rank in Nigerian army which possesses the ability to command a squad or section of soldiers. In most countries, these military ranks come from the British System. The name of the rank comes from Italy. In Italian, it means “a head of a body.”

5. Sergeant

In the Nigerian Army, this rank corresponds to the commanding of a squad of the section. It`s also considered as one of the first senior non-commissioned officers in Nigerian Army. In the medieval ages, sergeants were just commanded by officers. They were being servants who were able to fight if it`s needed. Moreover, these servants were also able to command other low servants regarding any attack. They are considered the middle class in the chivalry hierarchy.

6. Staff Sergeant

Staff sergeants are assigned to have a supervisor position with other low-ranked military men. This army position also derives from the British Army regiment.

7. Warrant Officer Class 2

This term was used in the first time in the 13th century. The warrant officer in Nigeria is the second highest non-commissioned rank.

8. Warrant Officer Class 1

It`s the highest non-commissioned military rank in Nigeria. They can be technical experts in use for the Nigerian army. According to the classified category of NATO, warrant officers are classified as WO. They are technical or command leaders in their squads.

Nigerian Army Commissioned Ranks

What are the ranks of the Nigerian army? Take a look at 11 commissioned army officer ranks.

1. Second Lieutenant

It`s considered to be the lowest commission officer rank. This rank comes from the colonial forces of the British Empire. It`s usually considered to be the newly appointed officers who just graduated from a military school or college.

2. Lieutenant

It`s another junior commissioned officer. The name comes from French and can be translated as the position holder. Therefore, lieutenants are considered to be superior to non-commissioned officers.

3. Captain

It`s an officer who is historically connected to the commanding of a company of soldiers. They are considered to be experienced officers compare to lower military ranks.

4. Major

It`s a more experienced officer. Still, it`s considered the highest junior rank in the military.

5. Lieutenant Colonel

Lieutenant Colonel has a vast variety of functions. It`s one of the high command positions in Nigeria.

6. Colonel

It`s a person who is about to be a general. From the 19th century, the colonel was considered to be in charge of a regiment in the army.

7. Brigadier General

It`s the first military rank which starts with General. It`s considered one of the highest military rank in Nigeria.

8. Major General

It`s the second highest rank in Nigerian army. This officer has a lot of responsibilities and commands a vast army of people.

9. Lieutenant General

It`s usually a commander of an army corps. This army corps consists of three army divisions which mean an army of 60,000-70,000 people.

10. General

This term is generic for all titles and means. This officer appeared in European armies in the medieval period. Therefore, Commonwealth countries also use this rank in their military.

11. Field Marshal

It`s the highest military position in Nigeria. It needs to take years to get such a position. It`s usually a few persons that gets this title. It requires extraordinary military skills. That`s one of the reasons why this military rank is so rare.

The Nigerian military is considered to be one of the strongest on the continent. This strength also comes from Nigerian officers who protect their country.

Source: Naija.ng