NNRH Calabar was conceptualized in 1976 but construction work started in 1980. The initial contractors were Messrs Philips Export BV of Netherlands for the supply and installations of electrical and mechanical materials, medical equipment and furniture.The project was handed over to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in 1994, but construction work on the complex stopped sometime in 1995. 

Naval Headquarters formally got approval from the MOD in June 2012 to take over and complete the construction. Thereafter responsibility for the supervision of the construction was shifted from an initial Project Monitoring Team (PMT) which worked through direct labour to a contractor - Messrs ULO Consultants Ltd, who is being supervised by PIMED at NHQ.