Ahoy! Meet Nigeria’s New Chief of Naval Staff: Rear Admiral Idi Abbas

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, the newly appointed Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), was born on Saturday, September 20, 1969 and hails from Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State. He began his early education at Gwagwarwa Primary School, Kano, before proceeding to the Air Force Military School, Jos, where he studied from 1981 to 1986. He later gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987, setting him on the path of an illustrious naval career that has spanned more than three decades.

He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on 12 September 1987 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on 10 September 1993 as a member of the 40th Regular Course, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.

Rear Admiral Abbas is an Above Water Warfare (AWW) specialist who has attended several military courses both locally and internationally. These include the Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at NNS QUORRA in 1994, the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in 2001 and 2005 respectively, and the Officers’ Long Course (OLC XII) at NNS QUORRA, Apapa, Lagos, in 2003 where he specialized in Above Water Warfare. He also attended the United Nations Military Observer Course in Tanzania in 2009 and graduated from the prestigious National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, in 2014 as a member of Course 23.

Throughout his illustrious naval career, Rear Admiral Abbas has held several key command and staff appointments. After his commissioning in 1993, he served onboard various naval ships as a Watchkeeping Officer, including NNS ARADU, NNS DAMISA, and NNS AYAM. In 1998, he became Naval Assistant to the Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

Between 1999 and 2002, he undertook several mandatory military courses and returned intermittently to NNS DAMISA. In January 2004, he was appointed Staff Officer III, Marine Services, at Naval Headquarters, and later became Gunnery Officer, NNS OHUE, in 2006. The following year, he became an instructor at NNS QUORRA and was appointed Commanding Officer, Burma Battalion of the Nigerian Defence Academy, in 2008.

Rear Admiral Abbas later served as Base Administrative Officer of NNS PATHFINDER and as the Naval Contingent Commander of the Joint Task Force Operation SAFE HAVEN between 2010 and 2012. In 2015, he was appointed Maritime Guard Commander (MGC) at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and in 2017 became Commander Task Group (CTG) of Nigerian Navy Operation TSARE-TEKU.

Between 2018 and 2022, he served in the Central Naval Command, first as the Command Administrative Officer (CAO), then as Chief Staff Officer (CSO), culminating in his appointment as Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command. During this period, he also commanded NNS VICTORY in Calabar in 2020.

In July 2023, he became the Chief of Naval Safety and Standards (CNASS) at Naval Headquarters, and in February 2024, he was appointed Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations (CDCMR) at Defence Headquarters. In January 2025, he was deployed to the Nigerian Army Heritage Centre as a Senior Research Fellow before his elevation to the post of the 25th Chief of the Naval Staff, Nigerian Navy.

A seasoned and thoroughbred professional Seaman Executive Officer, Rear Admiral Abbas rose steadily through the ranks. He became a Midshipman on 18 September 1992 and was promoted to the ranks of Sub-Lieutenant in 1993, Lieutenant in 1996, Lieutenant Commander in 2001, and Commander in 2006. He became a Navy Captain in September 2011, a Commodore in 2016, and attained the rank of Rear Admiral on 10 September 2020.

In recognition of his exemplary service, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas has earned numerous awards and decorations, including the Passed Staff Course (psc), Fellow Defence College (fdc), Forces Service Star (fss), Meritorious Service Star (mss), Distinguished Service Star (dss), Grand Service Star (gss), and Defence General Service Medal (DGSM). He is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and the International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS).

Outside his professional duties, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas enjoys playing hockey and driving. He is a practicing Muslim and is happily married to Mrs. Aisha Abbas, and their marriage is blessed with two boys.