Orders, decorations, and medals of Nigeria
Nigerian National Honours are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year. They were instituted by the National Honors Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Nigerian Republic, to honour Nigerians who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation.[1]
These honours are distinct from the honours that are part of the country's ancient chieftaincy system, which is a separate (but also legally defined) entity. National Honours are the highest honours or awards that a citizen can receive from their country for service to the country.
Honours
The Nigerian National Honours, in descending order of importance, are:
| Ribbon | Name | Creation Date | Ranks | Description |
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Order of the Federal Republic | 1963 |
|
Customarily bestowed on former occupants of the office of President of Nigeria including former military heads of state of Nigeria. |
 |
Order of the Niger | 1963 |
|
Customarily respectively bestowed on former occupants of the office of Vice President of Nigeria including former Chiefs of General Staff. The GCON is also customarily bestowed on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the President of the Nigerian Senate during their first year in office, while the CON is customarily bestowed on Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. |
Medals
| Ribbon | Name | Creation Date | Description |
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Defence Service Medal (DSM) | Honours those who fought on the government side during the Nigerian Civil War.[2] | |
| Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) | |||
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Forces Service Star (FSS) | ||
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General Service Medal (GSM) | ||
| Meritorious Service Star (MSS) | |||
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National Service Medal (NSM) | ||
| Republic Medal (RM) | October 1, 1973 | It was awarded to all serving members of the Nigerian Armed Forces on October 1, 1973, marking the 10th anniversary of the creation of the republic. |
State honours
Some Nigerian states also have state-specific honours which are bestowed on highly selective individuals, ranging from former presidents, governors to other distinguished personalities. An example of such are the Kogi State Honours which involve the conferment of State Honours in four different ranks of honour, including:
- Grand Confluence Silver Service Star
- Distinguished Confluence Silver Service Star (DCSSS)
- Confluence Merit Silver Service Star (CMSSS)
- Confluence Commendation Silver Service Star (CCSSS)
Recognized awards of Nigerian traditional states
| Name | Kingdom | Creation Date | Description |
| Royal Order of Iwere |  Kingdom of Warri |
2024 | Established by Ogiame Atuwatse III, Olu of Warri. Second only to chieftainship in the kingdom.[3] |
| Jigon Bauchi |  Bauchi Emirate |
[4] | |
| Jagoran Bauchi | [5] | ||
| Dujiman Bauchi | Honours members of the civil service.[6] |
References
- ↑ "Nigerian Culture Kids | For Kids from Nigeria". nckids. Archived from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
- ↑ "ODM of Nigeria: Defence Service Medal 1967-70". www.medals.org.uk. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
- ↑ https://www.royalorderofiwere.org/
- ↑ Sani, Umar (2026-08-11). "Bauchi emirate confers traditional title on Jonathan". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-08-16.
- ↑ Tide, The (2022-01-03). "Emir Names Wike Jagoran Bauchi". Retrieved 2026-08-16.
- ↑ https://brcradiobauchi.org/bauchi-pilgrims-board-staff-honour-executive-secretary-for-exemplary-leadership/.
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External links
- Orders, Decorations and Medals of the Republic of Nigeria - Ribbon Chart
- Nigeria National Merit Award - Presidency of Nigeria. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- Worlds awards
- Nigeria: National Honours Awards 2010 and 2011 Archived 2020-10-09 at the Wayback Machine, Economic Confidential. Retrieved 18 August 2016.