Nigerian Army Rank Structure: From Private To General With Salary Details 2026

A lot of people want to join the Nigerian Army, but they don’t really understand the rank system or salary structure. So I put this together to help.

Nigerian Army Ranks in Order

The Nigerian Army is divided into two main groups:

Non-Commissioned Officers (Soldiers)

Recruit
Private
Lance Corporal
Corporal
Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Warrant Officer
Master Warrant Officer
Army Warrant Officer

Commissioned Officers (Graduates & Leaders)

Second Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Lieutenant Colonel
Colonel
Brigadier General
Major General
Lieutenant General
General

Nigerian Army Salary Structure (Estimated 2026)

Below is a rough estimate of monthly salary based on rank:

Second Lieutenant – ₦180,000 to ₦330,000
Lieutenant – ₦200,000 to ₦380,000
Captain – ₦250,000 to ₦450,000
Major – ₦300,000 to ₦550,000
Colonel – ₦550,000 to ₦800,000
General – ₦1.5M to ₦2.5M+

See the full list here: https://expresstravel.com.ng/nigerian-army-ranks-and-salary-structure/