This should do it for you.. (UNTESTED)
Create a file in your theme folder called nav-menu-walker.php and include this file in your theme functions.php file.
nav-menu-walker.php
class My_Nav_Menu_Walker extends Walker_Nav_Menu {
function start_el( &$output, $item, $depth = 0, $args, $id = 0 ) {
$indent = ( $depth ) ? str_repeat( "\t", $depth ) : '';
$class_names = $value="";
$classes = empty( $item->classes ) ? array() : (array) $item->classes;
$classes[] = 'menu-item-' . $item->ID;
$class_names = join( ' ', apply_filters( 'nav_menu_css_class', array_filter( $classes ), $item, $args ) );
$class_names = $class_names ? ' class="' . esc_attr( $class_names ) . '"' : '';
$id = apply_filters( 'nav_menu_item_id', 'menu-item-'. $item->ID, $item, $args );
$id = $id ? ' id="' . esc_attr( $id ) . '"' : '';
$item_output = $args->before;
$output .= $indent . '<li' . $id . $value . $class_names .'>';
$attributes = ! empty( $item->attr_title ) ? ' title="' . esc_attr( $item->attr_title ) .'"' : '';
$attributes .= ! empty( $item->target ) ? ' target="' . esc_attr( $item->target ) .'"' : '';
$attributes .= ! empty( $item->xfn ) ? ' rel="' . esc_attr( $item->xfn ) .'"' : '';
$attributes .= ! empty( $item->url ) ? ' href="' . esc_attr( $item->url ) .'"' : '';
if ( $args->has_children ) {
$item_output .= '<a'. $attributes .'>';
$item_output .= $args->link_before . apply_filters( 'the_title', $item->title, $item->ID ) . $args->link_after;
$item_output .= '</a>';
} else {
$item_output .= '<span>';
$item_output .= apply_filters( 'the_title', $item->title, $item->ID );
$item_output .= '</span>';
}
$item_output .= $args->after;
$output .= apply_filters( 'walker_nav_menu_start_el', $item_output, $item, $depth, $args );
}
function display_element($element, &$children_elements, $max_depth, $depth=0, $args, &$output) {
$id_field = $this->db_fields['id'];
if ( is_object( $args[0] ) ) {
$args[0]->has_children = ! empty( $children_elements[$element->$id_field] );
}
return parent::display_element( $element, $children_elements, $max_depth, $depth, $args, $output );
}
}
Then call your wp_nav_menu() function with the walker.. e.g.
<?php
wp_nav_menu(
array(
'theme_location' => 'primary-menu',
'walker' => new My_Nav_Menu_Walker()
)
);
?>
You may have to tweak the arguments to work with your theme obviously..
give that a go!