Nigerian Navy

The Nigerian Navy (NN) is a branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Nigerian Navy is among the largest Navies on the African continent, consisting of several thousand personnel, including those of the Coast Guard.

Brief History

The Nigerian Navy owes its origin to the Nigerian Marine. Formed in 1914 after the amalgamation of the then Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria, the Nigerian Marine (as it became known after 1914) was a quasi-military organization. Its origin lay with the Lagos Marines, a unit established in 1887 by the British Colonial Government. This force expanded to become the Southern Nigerian Marine in 1893. A Northern Nigeria equivalent was formed in 1900. The two Marines were merged in 1914, after Nigeria came under a single colonial administration. The responsibilities of the Marine included administration of the ports and harbours, dredging of channels, bouyage and lighting. It also operated ferry services, touring launches, and other small craft that plied the various creeks and other inland waterways. The Royal Navy provided the necessary military component as part of its overall defence of the British Empire . Though it performed mostly coast guard functions, the Nigerian Marine saw action in the First World War as part of the British military offensive against German-held Cameroon. This organization remained the only maritime outfit in Nigeria until 1955, when the British colonial authorities carried out a major reorganisation of Nigeria's maritime administration in order to improve efficiency. This reorganisation led to the establishment of three new bodies to undertake the various functions hitherto carried out by the Marine Department.