Ministry of Defence (Nigeria)

The Ministry of Defence is an executive branch of the federal government charged with the statutory responsibility of overseeing and supervising all tri-service institutions and parastatals directly related to defence and the Nigerian Armed Forces. Headquartered at the Ship House, Area 10, Abuja, the Ministry’s stated mission is “To provide administrative and support services, timely and effectively to enable the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to build and maintain a modern, compact, strong, professional, mission-capable and mission-ready Armed Forces, for the defence of National territory maritime interest, airspace and the protection and defence of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and to contribute to peacemaking and peace-keeping duties worldwide under sub-regional and global organizations of which Nigeria is a member.”

The Ministry of Defence is headed by the Minister of Defence, a cabinet-level head who reports directly to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Beneath the Ministry of Defence are four subordinate military components: The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force. Military operations and training are coordinated and managed by these components. In addition, three agencies are subordinate to the Ministry of Defence: The Defence Mission, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Defence Intelligence School. Other defence parastatals include the [[Military Pension Board (MPB), Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). The Ministry of Defence also supervises tri-service training institutions, including the National Defence College (NDC), Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (AFCSC), and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

The aims and objectives of the Ministry of Defence which are derived from the National Defence Policy are as follows:[1]

  • Maintaining men of the Nigerian Armed Forces in a state of combat readiness on land, sea and air.
  • Maintaining a proper balance in arms and men to meet the needs of internal and external security;
  • Making provision for the welfare of the men of the Armed Forces in terms of training, accommodation, health care and other benefits aimed at boosting their morale.
  • Enhancing the capability and sophistication of the country’s Defence Industries in order to reduce the country's dependence on foreign sources of supply.
  • Ensuring security in the African continent by the promotion of a collective defence system through bilateral, sub-regional and continental co-operation to ward off external aggression and to attain the African objective of the national foreign policy; and
  • Contributing towards peace and stability in the world as a whole through the United Nations, African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).


History

The Ministry of Defence came into being in 1st October 1958, two years before independence from Great Britain, when the War Office granted control of the armed forces to the national government. Earlier developments have made the establishment of a Ministry of Defence possible. On 1 May 1958, the Naval Defence Force (NDF) was legally established as a force and re-designated Royal Nigerian Navy (RNN) as a mark of allegiance to the Queen of England. Also, on 1st June, 1958, the British Army Council in London relinquished control of Nigerian Military Force (NMF) to the Nigerian Government. Upon its creation, the ministry was given responsibility over the two branches of the military in existence at that time the army and the navy and later oversees the command of the Nigerian Air Force, founded in 1964.


Organisational Structure

The organizational structure of the Ministry is made up of the civilian and military components. The Minister of Defence, appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate, is the political head of the Ministry of Defence. The Minister is sometimes assisted by the Minister of State. The Permanent Secretary is the Accounting and Chief Administrative Officer of the Ministry. He coordinates and directs the activities of the Departments and Units in the Ministry.

Civilian Components

The civilian cell has six services each headed by a Director

  • Human Resource Management Department
  • Finance and Accounts Department
  • Planning, Research and Statistics Department
  • Procurement Department
  • Legal Department
  • Medical Services Department

Operational Departments
  • Joint Services
  • Army Affairs
  • Navy Affairs
  • Air Force Affairs, each headed by a Director.

Other civilian cells
  • Education Department
  • General Services Department
  • Information and Public Relations Department
  • Reforms Coordination and Services Improvement Department

Recently, the Office of the Director under the (Office of the Permanent Secretary) Special Duties was created to oversee the following units in the Ministry:

  • Ministerial Servicom Unit
  • Reform Unit
  • Internal Audit
  • Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit
  • Stock Verification Unit
  • Protocol Unit; and
  • Press and Public Relations Unit.

Military Component

The Armed Forces Services Headquarters of the Ministry comprise the following:

The control of the Armed Forces, their joint operations and training rest with the Chief of Defence Staff Nigeria who coordinates the three Services while the three Service Chiefs are responsible for the day to day running of their respective Services.

Other Defence Parastatals and Agencies


List of ministers
Main article: Defence Minister of Nigeria
Name Term
Iliya Bisalla 1975–1976
Iya Abubakar 1979–1981
Akanbi Oniyangi 1981 to 1983
Domkat Bali 1984 to 1990
Sani Abacha 1990–1994
Theophilus Danjuma 1999–2003
Rabiu Kwankwaso 2003–2007
Thomas I. Aguiyi-Ironsi 2006–2007
Yayale Ahmed 2007–2008
Shettima Mustapha 2008–2009
Godwin Abbe 2009–2010
Adetokunbo Kayode 2010–2011
Haliru Mohammed Bello 2011 July–2012 June
Olusola Obada 2012 July–2013 September
Aliyu Mohammed Gusau March 2014-May 2015
Mansur Mohammed Dan Ali October 2015-May 2019
Bashir Salihi Magashi August 2019–present

References
  1. "MPB – Ministry of Defence". Retrieved 2020-02-07.
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