Editing Nigerian Armed Forces (section)

== Structure ==
=== Command structure ===
The President of Nigeria functions as the [[commander-in-chief]] of the armed forces, exercising his constitutional authority through the Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for the management of the military and its personnel. The operational head of the AFN is the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Nigeria)|Chief of the Defence Staff]], who is subordinate to the Nigerian Defence Minister. The current chief is General [[Christopher Gwabin Musa]].

The National Defence Council has been in existence since 1979 and advises the President on matters relating to the armed forces. The NDC is chaired by the president, and its members include the [[Vice President of Nigeria]], the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff, as well as others the president is empowered to appoint. 

=== Service branches ===
==== Army ====
{{Main|Nigerian Army}}
The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the largest among the armed forces. Its major formations include the [[1st Division (Nigeria)|1st Division]], [[2nd Division (Nigeria)|2nd Division]], [[3rd Armoured Division (Nigeria)|3rd Armoured Division]], [[81st Division (Nigeria)|81st Division]], [[82nd Division (Nigeria)|82nd Division]] and the newly formed 8th, 7th and 6th Divisions. The Nigerian army is headed currently by Lieutenant General [[Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja]], who was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Buhari appoint Major General Farouk Yahaya as new Chief of Army Staff|work=BBC News Pidgin|url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-57271639|access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref> The Nigerian Army has been playing a major role in defence of Nigerian [[Democracy]] since the first republic till date.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ozoemenam|first=Mbachu|title=Nigerian Military in Nation - Building|year=2012}}</ref>

==== Navy ====
{{Main|Nigerian Navy}}
The Nigerian Navy (NN) is the sea branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Nigerian Navy command structure today consists of the Naval Headquarters in Abuja as well as three other operational commands with headquarters in [[Lagos State|Lagos]], [[Calabar]] and [[Bayelsa State|Bayelsa]]. The training command headquarters are located in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, but with training facilities spread all over Nigeria. There are five operational bases; five forward operational bases (with two more soon to come on stream), two dockyards located in Lagos and [[Port Harcourt]] and two fleets based in Lagos and Calabar. The Nigerian Navy is currently headed by Vice Admiral [[Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 May 2020|title=Nigerian Navy release new appointments of senior officers|url=https://guardian.ng/news/nigerian-navy-release-new-appointments-of-senior-officers/|access-date=3 June 2021|website=The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News|language=en-US}}</ref>

==== Air Force ====
{{Main|Nigerian Air Force}}
[[File:Roundel of Nigeria.svg|thumb|right|150px|Roundel of the Nigerian Air Force]]
The Nigerian Air Force was formally established in January 1964, with technical assistance from [[West Germany]]. The Air Force started as a transport unit, with the aircrew being trained in [[Canada]], [[Ethiopia]] and [[Pakistan]]. The Air Force did not get combat capability until a number of [[MiG-17]] aircraft were presented by the [[Soviet Union]] in 1966.

In 2007, the Air Force had a strength of 10,000.<ref>[[IISS]] Military Balance 2007</ref> It flies transport, trainer, helicopter, and fighter aircraft. By 2021, the number of Air Force personnel had increased to 18,000.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T8M7zgEACAAJ|title=The Military Balance 2021|date=25 February 2021|publisher=Routledge, Chapman & Hall, Incorporated|pages=483|isbn=9781032012278|language=en}}</ref>

The Air Force sponsors the [[Air Force Military School, Jos, Nigeria]] and the [[Air Force Institute of Technology]]. Nigeria also has pursued a policy of developing domestic training and military production capabilities. Nigeria has continued a strict policy of diversification in its military procurement from various countries. The Nigerian Air force is currently headed by Air Marshal [[Hassan Bala Abubakar]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 November 2020|title=Nigerian Air Force trains 200 personnel abroad|url=https://guardian.ng/news/nigerian-air-force-trains-200-personnel-abroad/|access-date=3 June 2021|website=The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News|language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Training establishments ===
Training establishments in Nigeria include the prestigious officer entry: [[Nigerian Defence Academy]] at [[Kaduna (city)|Kaduna]], the [[Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji]], and the National War College at [[Abuja]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Defence College - Background and History |url=http://www.ndc.gov.ng/college/History.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110215203327/https://www.ndc.gov.ng/college/History.htm |archive-date=15 February 2011 |access-date=30 October 2009}}</ref> The U.S. commercial military contractor, [[Military Professional Resources Inc.]] has been involved around 1999–2000 in advising on civil-military relations for the armed forces.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rabiu |first=Ruby |date=11 December 2003 |title=Defence Ministry promotes democratic value in Army |url=http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/dec/11/0097.html |website=news.biafranigeriaworld.com}}, accessed October 2009 and Peter Singer, 'Corporate Warriors,' [[Cornell University Press]], Ithaca and London, 2003, p.131-2. {{ISBN|0-8014-4114-5}}</ref>