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The Nigerian Navy (NN) is the sea arm of the Nigerian military.

Navy
In 1887, the Colonial Government of Nigeria established the Lagos Marine as a quasi-military organisation combining the duties of present day Nigeria Ports Authority, the Inland Waterways and the maritime policing duties of a modern day Navy. When Northern and Southern Nigeria were brought together as one country in 1914, the two marine forces became the Nigeria Marine, and on 1 June 1956 after lobbying for a full-fledged naval force instead of a ports authority, the Nigerian Naval Force was established. HMS Hare, an Algerine class minesweeper was renamed Nigeria and recommissioned as the flagship of the new navy on 21 July 1959.

The Navy celebrated its Golden Jubilee in Lagos in June 2006 with a parade and a review of the fleet by the Commander in Chief, President Olusegun Obasanjo. To witness this colourful parade were the Chiefs of Naval Staff of African Navies and other friendly nations. In 2004, two Navy rear admirals were dismissed on corruption charges after having been convicted of involvement in the disappearance from Navy custody of the Russian oil tanker African Pride.

The Nigerian Navy command structure today consists of the Naval Headquarters based in Abuja, two operational commands with headquarters in Lagos and Calabar, two training commands with headquarters in Lagos but with training facilities spread all over Nigeria, two operational bases, five forward operational bases (with two more soon to come on stream), and two Dockyards located in Lagos and Port Harcourt. The Navy has 8,000 personnel, including those of the Coast Guard.

The commander of the Nigerian Navy is Vice Admiral II Ibrahim, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). He is assisted by 7 principal staff officers at the Headquarters known as Branch Chiefs. The PSOs are the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral PS Adeniyi, Rear Admiral Os Ibrahim, the Chief of Training and Operations, Chief of Accounts and Budget, Commodore Maculey, Rear Admiral Jonah, the Chief of Naval Engineering, Commodore S Orishamolade, the Chief of Logistics, and Rear Admiral I B Acholonu, the Navy Secretary.

Each of the Branches consists of Directorates. The Administration Branch, for instance, consists of Directorate of Education (headed by Cdre TO Olawumi) and Directorate of Medical Services (headed by Cdre K Ibe Lambert). The Navy sponsors three schools, the first established at Ojo, the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta, and a third at Port Harcourt. The Directorate of Naval Information, headed by Captain H Babalola, is under the Chief of Policy and Plans.

The commands are under the flag officers commanding. Rear Admiral SU Umosen commands the Western Naval Command. The major facility within the Western Naval Command appears to be the Naval Base at Apapa in Lagos, which is made up of the shore establishments NNS Olokun and NNS Quorra. Rear Admiral BA Raji commands the Eastern Naval Command. The other two commands are the Naval Training Command and the newly constituted Logistics Command, headed by Rear Admiral HOG Arogundade.

The IISS Military Balance 2007 lists the Nigerian Navy as having one MEKO 360 class frigate, NNS Aradu; one Vosper corvette, Enymiri (F 83); two modified Italian Lerici class coastal minesweepers (Ohue and Marabai, commissioned in 1987 and 1988 respectively); three French Combattante fast missile craft (Siri, Ayam, and Ekun); and four Balsam ocean patrol craft (ex buoy tenders). Jane's Fighting Ships said in 2010 that Enymiri's sistership Erinomi was assessed as beyond economical repair in 1996. All these vessels are listed as having their serviceability in doubt. Vessels which may be operational are a German Luerssen 57-metre coastal patrol craft; twelve Defender patrol boats; the landing ship tank NNS Ambe (LST 1312); and the five logistics and support ships: one survey vessel, three tugs, and the training ship Ruwan Yaro (A 497). There are two Agusta Westland Lynx ASW helicopters, which are not operational, and a total of four AgustaWestland AW109 helicopters. On 20 April 2007 an Navy Augusta Helicopter crashed during a flight between Port Harcourt and Owerri, and all the three naval personnel aboard were feared killed, reducing the then total number of Augusta helicopters from three to two. On 12 April 2009, the Navy commissioned two 38-metre Sea Eagle Fast Patrol Crafts (FPCs) - NNS Zaria and NNS Burutu and two new Agusta helicopters procured from Alenia, Italy.

In late 2006 and early 2007, a naval exercise was held which saw several previously thought unserviceable ships involved.

Special Boat Service
The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the Special Forces of the Nigerian Navy. It is a male only outfit and was fashioned after the United States Navy Seal, the Royal Navy Special Boat Service and the Indian Maritime Commando. The roles of the Special Boat Services are predominantly focused on, but not restricted to, littoral and riverine operations, including Reconnaissance and Surveillance, Covert beach reconnaissance in advance of an amphibious assault, recovery or protection of ships and oil installations subject to hostile state or non-state action, Maritime Counter-Terrorism and offensive Action.

Future Plans
The Nigerian Navy is seeking government approval to acquire up to 49 ships and 42 helicopters over the next ten years divided into three phases. In the first phase, scheduled to last two years, the navy will procure two light frigates and two 85-metre offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

The second phase will span between two and five years, during which 10 OPVs, 20 helicopters, 1 hydrographic ship and two mine-countermeasure vessels (MVMVs) would be purchased.

The last phase would see Nigeria acquire three conventional submarines, two corvettes, two landing platforms dock (LPDs) and 20 long-range maritime patrol helicopters.

Naval Aircraft

 * 4 x Augusta A109 utility helicopter
 * Aerostar tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Purchased together with Unmanned Sea Vehicle (USV)

Retired

 * Lynx helicopters