About Us
About Us
The Navigators, an International, non-denominational Christian organisation, began in 1933 in Long Beach, California, as an outgrowth of one man’s life, Dawson Trotman. Dawson was hungry for God and found Him revealed in the Bible. The more he learned about God, the more he wanted to share what he found with others – anyone who would listen. He regularly worked with military staff, beginning with naval personnel, teaching them to navigate through life in such a way that they won’t regret it when they get to the life beyond and helping others to do so – hence the name ”Navigators.”
One eager learner brought a friend to meet Dawson, asking Trotman to teach him, too. Trotman told the man to start sharing with his friend, himself, the things he had learned. Thus began the Navigator’s emphasis on spiritual reproduction, transmitting the gospel through generations. This principle is illustrated in Paul’s instructions to Timothy, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Tim 2: 2 NIV).
The Navigators Nigeria is part of the Navigators Global Partnership with over 4206 Staff of 71 Nationalities ministering in more than 110 Countries and more than 161 Languages. The International Headquarters is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States of America. The Nigeria Ministry started in 1974 but was registered as incorporated trustees in 1976 with our National headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.
What We Do
Jesus Christ is the model for Navigators in life and ministry. From Him, we pattern our relational style of evangelism and discipleship. We help people grow strong in biblical disciplines: Bible study, Scripture, prayer, telling others about Christ, and building new disciples strongly rooted in their faith. Spiritual multiplication happens as Navigators and those we walk alongside go through the natural ups and downs of life – that’s kingdom-building one person at a time.
To share the Gospel and disciple all people, Navigators build natural relationships in many settings like sporting courts, offices, community life, campuses, and wherever we have openings. We operate in rural areas, churches, through conferences, youth camps, and in small neighbourhood groups, among co-workers and friends. We engage in cross-cultural and cross-border missions.
Our purpose is to know Christ and to make Him known. This sounds simple, but it requires a costly investment in people. It means more than merely using words to tell others about Jesus. It is intentionally helping people grow in their relationship with Christ through Life-to-Life discipleship, creating spiritual generations of believers.
People today are sceptical and bring many misconceptions to their discussions about Jesus. That means we must share the Gospel through our lives – seeking to relate to others the way Jesus did long ago. It means sharing about Christ in a natural, unforced way and also intentionally seeking opportunities to tell those we encounter in everyday life about Jesus’ love. It means igniting in people the passion to know Christ and helping them help others know Him. That’s making and building disciples. That’s what we do. And God is transforming lives through these spiritual generations of disciples and labourers.
Life-on-life discipleship – that is what The Navigators ministry is all about, not just feeding people formulas or schedules for walking with Christ. It is emphasising relationships, sharing the struggles, the challenges, and the triumphs with other believers, and walking alongside them as they seek Jesus every day.
The Navigators Nigeria is funded through the generous gifts from friends made up of individuals and organisations who identify with what we are out to achieve, changing the Spiritual landscape of Nigeria and placing workers for the Gospel next door everywhere.
Our Vision Statement
We see a vital movement of the Gospel, fueled by prevailing prayer, flowing freely through relational networks and out into the nations. Workers for the Kingdom are next door to everywhere!
What characterises this movement? A heart for the whole person … climates of grace … compassion for the vulnerable and broken … sacrificial unity embracing diversity … cultural relevance and sensitivity … interdependence with others in the wider family of God … transformed men and women, fragrant with humility and the aroma of Christ.
They are marked by a deep engagement with and obedience to the Scriptures as the Word of God. They believe in the promises of God. Both personally and in committed communities, they seek to know and pursue the purposes of God.
Labourers and leaders are emerging with an increasing passion for Jesus Christ. They demonstrate faith and courage as they live and move among their friends and families. As spiritual parents, they model authenticity and relevance.
Ordinary people, in many walks of life, are joyfully leading integrated lives. They live as fruitful insiders among the lost. There is perseverance in the face of hardship and suffering. Around the world, many are coming to faith. As they become established in discipleship, some grow to be foundational for further generations. The Gospel spreads naturally and powerfully as believers share Christ … life upon life … family to family.
Crossing cultures into new cities and nations, teams of mobile pioneers intentionally proclaim and embody the good news of Jesus Christ in such a way that transformed communities multiply. These communities are bringing joy and hope to their surrounding environments as relationships are healed and justice increases. Indeed, the lost and unreached burn in their hearts as they move the Gospel into the nations.
The leaders of this movement developed and empowered for God’s service, live out a growing commitment to Christlikeness. They are dependent upon the Holy Spirit. New generations of leaders are emerging, rooted incarnationally in their local and national contexts. An international leadership community brings focus, alignment and energy to their movement. These leaders are clearly committed to long-term impact in generational ministry.
The Navigators is led by a Leadership Team that has the National Director as chairman, and each member leading a geographical zone and/or one Strategic aspect of our Ministry. The Navigators Nigeria Ministry is divided into Six (6) zones led by a Zonal Leader.
Our Core Values
The passion to know, love, and become like Jesus Christ.
The truth and sufficiency of the Scriptures for the whole of life.
The transforming power of the gospel.
The leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Expectant faith and persevering prayer rooted in the promises of God.
The dignity and value of every person.
Love and grace expressed among us in community.
Families and relational networks in discipling the nations.
Interdependent relationships in the Body of Christ in advancing the gospel.
Our Leadership
Michael and Toyin Ogundele
Michael met The Navigators in 1995 on a tennis court in his second year of studying Civil Engineering at The Federal University of Technology, Minna. He was already a believer but was discipled by the Navigators FUT Minna Team.
After graduation, he returned to Minna in 2002 for a two-year staff training. He later served as the Communications Officer in The Navigators National Office, and then as field staff (both in Jos). While in Jos, he obtained a Masters in Divinity, M.Div, from the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TC.NN), Jos.
Mike and Toyin got married in 2006, laboured together in the Ministry in Jos, and later in 2011, moved to Akure to pioneer the Navigators Ministry there. They ministered among high school and campus students, sportsmen, couples, community, churches and also trained some staff. After 12 years in Akure, they were inaugurated as the National Director of the Navigators Nigeria Ministry on April 8, 2023 (coinciding their wedding anniversary). They have two children, Grace and Paul.
Andrew is a trained civil engineer. He encountered the Lord as a teenager in his local church shortly after secondary school. He became serious with his faith, and thankfully, while on campus at the University of Ilorin in 2006, he met the Navigators, where he was discipled, and began a closer walk with the Lord. He practised civil engineering in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub. A few years later, he received a Macedonian call to serve the body of Christ through Alpha Nigeria—a ministry dedicated to equipping churches with tools for evangelism and discipleship. His primary responsibility involved leading the ministry. In 2016, Andrew married Kwamakhe, and they are blessed with two boys, Inioluwa and Iremide. Under the Lord's guidance, in July 2023, they concluded their service with Alpha Nigeria and embraced a new responsibility, serving the kingdom's labourers through the National office of the Navigators ministry.
Andrew Niyi Olatunji
Abiodun Famose
Abiodun Famose, began his journey in The Navigators as a fresh student of Architecture in FUT Minna, where he met Mr. Okike Offia who discipled him on campus. The time with Mr. Okike was very impactful on him that he prayed for four years to do his mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC) with The Navigators and around Mr. Okike. God answered his prayer. After school, Famous-Famose as he is popularly called worked as a graduate intern with an Architectural firm in Enugu before joining the Navigators Nigeria as a gift income staff. For over 17 years, he has been ministering to young people in Schools and Churches, to Couples, Church Leaders and recently to young Leaders and Artisans. Famose and his wife, Chinyere, lead the Southeast zonal Ministry and live in Nsukka with their four children.
Bami met the Navigators at the University of Ilorin and was discipled and trained by Dan Ndangason. He moved to Ibadan in 2010 and eventually came into full-time ministry with the Navigators in 2013, serving in University of Ibadan Campus and Several High Schools, after his Postgraduate degree at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. With Academic training in Bio-Statistics and Computer Science (Database Management System), and certifications in some ICT skills, he had a short stint at forming Boams Technology (an IT Solution firm), which he used as Ministry platform to engage and Disciple people. Bami is currently the Zonal Leader of the Southwest Zone of the Navigators Nigeria. He is also the National Coordinator for Student and Youth Ministry of the Navigators Nigeria. He is a Navigators Life and Leadership Certified Coach, Coaching Ministry Leaders globally. Bami is passionate about reaching Students and Youths (including out of school kids/youth) with the Gospel and discipling them, and developing next generation leaders to serve the purposes of God. He is married to Sarah and are together blessed with two set of twin children, Yohan, Annie, Rinnah and Caleb. They reside in Ibadan, Oyo State, from where they lead High School Ministry, 3 Campus Ministries, the South West Zone, and the National Student and Youth Ministry Team.
Bami Betiku
Elisha Isa
Elisha Isa is an Evaluator with the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service in the Bauchi state office. Early in his career, he sensed God's call to make, 'Missions my preoccupation while my occupation puts food on my table'. He has been trained and equipped by the Navigators in the last 20 years to fulfil this calling. He served in University Campus ministry for 16 years in Zaria, Ilorin and Bauchi until 2020, but now leads the Discipling for Development (D4D) of our Nigeria Navigators Ministry which focuses on Whole Life discipleship among the rural poor in parts of Yobe state and elsewhere. He serves as an Alongsider to Navigator staff and Laborers in the North East zone and D4D Laborers around Africa. His interests are Connecting, Reading, and Gardening. He is passionate about pleasing God with all he is, all he has, and all he is becoming. 2Cor.5:9 He is married to Priscilla Isa, and they are blessed with two surviving daughters who are both in the University, and two foster sons in secondary school. They all live together in Bauchi, Nigeria.
Yinka had his first degree in Geology from FUT Minna where he was discipled and equipped by the Navigators. Married to Sharon, they have obeyed God's call to serve in the Navigators Ministry, and are trusting God for the promise of Isaiah 49:6 as they hear God leading them to raise labourers for campuses in Northern Nigeria and beyond. Yinka and his wife Sharon Morenikeji are evangelising and discipling students in University of Jos, Nigeria, as well as lead the North Central Zone of the Navigators Nigeria Ministry, trusting God for Gospel workers to emerge and ready to be sent out to every corner of the North Central Zone (Mathew 9:38).
Olayinka Balogun
Henry Magbo
Henry graduated from the Federal University of Technology Minna, where he met the Navigators and was discipled by Sebastian Umazua and Musa Yashim. Henry and his wife, Ginika, has been growing in their faith as they serve people. Henry had previously served in the Lagos zonal leadership team led by Rev. Emeka Ohahuru. Henry is currently a professional Quantity surveyor, while his wife is a school teacher. They have been ministering as Conventional Income Person (CIP) and still continue to do so even as they lead the Ministry in the zone. Henry and Ginikachi Magbo live in Lagos with their four lovely children.
Lazarus received the Lord Jesus in year 2004 but he didn't receive any follow-up until his university days by the Nav(2009-2014). Victoria received the Lord Jesus in year 2005. Lazarus sensed the calling of God during his university days. He asked his mentor, Musa Yashim to help him become a missionary in 2011. That request was granted from 2016-2018 after his one year compulsory youth service. He came on staff with the Navigators in 2018 after his training with the Navigators and got married to his sweetheart on the 8th of February 2020. The marriage is blessed with two children (Jayden and King-David). We live in Minna and minister among the youths, especially the federal university of Technology Minna, my Alma mata. Lazarus and Victoria are a godly couple who are passionate about the Great Commission and raising laborers for the Lord (Matt. 28:18-20).
Nakah Lazarus
Jonathan Hussaini
Jonathan Hussaini is married to Queen Ajifa Jonathan since July 2013. They are blessed with three Children; Mark, Jason and Yuwana. They live in Abuja Nigeria where they together run a small Transport Company called Globe Cab Services and a Fashion Business called Ajifa Royal Signatures. Jonathan and Queen Ajifa feel called to serve in ways that gives the Gospel advancement a push.
Chinedu is a clean energy professional with interests in plant conservation, environmental management, and human capital development. He has a passion for wholesome and sincere living and for building responsive communities that are focused on the Gospel of Christ and societal impact. Chinedu serves the Navigators Nigeria as the head of the Conventional Income Persons Committee whose mandate is to support working professionals and business people to live wholesome, integrated and missional lives at work and in their communities. He is married to Somto and they are blessed with a lovely girl, Ntute.
Chinedu Eze
