Chief of Naval Staff (Nigeria)


The Chief of Naval Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Navy.

The position is often occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.The Chief of Naval Staff reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, who also reports to the Defence Minister.
The Statutory duty of the Officer is to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Nigerian Navy.
The current Chief of Naval Staff is Ibok Ekwe Ibas who was appointed on July 13, 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari to succeeded Usman Oyibe Jibrin.

Chiefs of Naval Staff

Table below is a chronological list of officers holding the position of Chief of Naval Staff.
OfficerTitlePeriod ServedRemarks
Captain F.W. SkutilCNS1956–1958
Commodore A.R. KennedyCNS1958 –1964
Vice Commodore J.E.A. Wey OFR FSSCNS1964 –1973
Vice Admiral N.B. Soroh MFR FSS IDCCNS1973–1975
Vice Admiral M.A Adelanwa GCON FSS rcdsCNS1975–1980
Vice Admiral A.A. Aduwo CFR FSS FBIMCNS1980 - 1983
Rear Admiral A.A. Aikhomu FSS psc mniCNS1984 -1986
Vice Admiral Patrick Koshoni FSS psc mniCNS1986 -1990
Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako FSS psc mniCNS1990 - 1992
Vice Admiral D.P.E Omotsola FSS DSO psc rcdsCNS1992 - 1993
Rear Admiral Suleiman Saidu FSS LSS MSS DSS rcdsCNSSeptember 1993 - November 1993
Rear Admiral A.A. Madueke FSS DSS MRNI mniCNS1993- 1994
Rear Admiral O.M Akhigbe FSS DSS psc mniCNS1994 - 1998
Vice Admiral J. Ayinla DSS psc Usnwc fwc GCONCNS1998 - 1999
Vice Admiral V.K. Ombu CFR mniCNS1999 - 2001
Vice Admiral S.O. Afolayan DSS psc fwcCNS2001 - 2005
Vice Admiral G.T.A. Adekeye DSS psc mirss mniCNS2005 - 2008
Vice Admiral I.I. Ibrahim CFR DSS psc fwcCNS2008 - 2010
Vice Admiral O.S. Ibrahim DSS psc rcds fwc LLB MACNS2010 - 2012
Vice Admiral D.J. Ezeoba GSS fwc Msc MRIN FCISCNS2012 - 2013
Vice Admiral U.O. Jibrin GSS AM psc+ mni LLB PGCPACNS2013- 2015
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CNSJuly 2015 –