No fewer than 11,000 Nigerians have applied for the opportunity to sail aboard a warship of the Nigerian Navy, underscoring overwhelming public interest in the initiative.

The Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunso, disclosed this in a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, expressing surprise at the turnout.

“So far over 11,000 persons have applied to sail on a Nigerian Navy warship. First, I must confess that I didn’t expect this number of persons,” he said.

Folorunso, however, noted that it would be impossible to accommodate all applicants due to limited space on the designated vessels.

“Challenge is we cannot get over 11,000 people onboard the limited space on the ships,” he added.

He further announced that the list of successful applicants would be released between May 1 and May 3, 2026, urging applicants to check the Navy’s official social media platforms for updates.

The initiative, introduced in early April, is part of activities lined up for the Navy’s annual celebration, commonly known as Navy Week.

According to the Navy, the programme—often described as a “citizens’ sail” or open-day experience—is designed to give members of the public rare onboard access to naval platforms, while promoting transparency and strengthening civil-military relations.

Interested Nigerians were invited to apply through an online portal, with participation guidelines also outlined on the Navy’s verified social media channels.

Navy Week typically features a range of activities, including ship tours, ceremonial parades, medical outreaches and community engagement programmes across coastal states.

The warship sailing experience, the Navy said, is a relatively new addition aimed at deepening public engagement and showcasing its operational capabilities.

The service added that participants would be required to undergo screening and comply with all safety protocols before boarding, given the sensitive nature of naval operations.