The Nigerian military, officially the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (AFN), consists of three branches: the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, and the Nigerian Air Force. The force has more than 230,000 active personnel and is one of the largest combat services in Africa.
Leadership and command structure
The military is overseen by the Ministry of Defence, but its operational command is directly under the president and commander-in-chief, Bola Tinubu.
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): The most senior uniformed military officer, the CDS provides operational directives to the three service branches. The current CDS is General Christopher Gwabin Musa, who assumed the position on June 23, 2023.
Nigerian Army (NA): The land warfare branch is headed by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede.
Nigerian Navy (NN): The naval branch is commanded by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla.
Nigerian Air Force (NAF): The air branch is led by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar.
Key duties and recent operations
The duties of the AFN are outlined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and include defending the nation's territorial integrity and suppressing insurrection.
Counter-insurgency: The military is heavily involved in domestic operations, particularly against the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups in the northeast.
Anti-banditry and anti-kidnapping: The army conducts operations in the North-Central and other regions to combat armed banditry and kidnapping.
Anti-crude oil theft: Naval and army forces operate in the Niger Delta to combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
Peacekeeping and international aid: Since 1960, Nigeria has contributed over 20,000 troops and police to various United Nations and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) missions around the world.
Recent news (2025)
October 2025: Troops of Operation HADIN KAI foiled an attack by Boko Haram in Borno State, though a commanding officer and other soldiers were killed. The Nigerian Air Force graduated new anti-UAV radar operators to enhance airspace security.
September 2025: The military announced the arrest of 16 officers for indiscipline, denying persistent rumors of a failed coup plot.June 2025: The Nigerian Navy officially unveiled its new Special Operations Command.
