Army Unveils State-of-the-Art Wargaming Centre to Strengthen Military Planning
The Nigerian Army has unveiled a state-of-the-art Wargaming Centre at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), to enhance strategic planning, operational analysis and military decision-making in response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The facility was commissioned on Thursday by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who described it as a strategic investment in professional military education and institutional capacity development.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Colonel Appolonia Anele, the new centre underscores the Nigerian Army’s commitment to building a highly professional, adaptive and combat-ready force capable of addressing contemporary and emerging security threats.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the COAS said the increasingly complex security environment requires commanders who are not only courageous in combat but also intellectually agile and strategically minded.
He noted that wargaming provides military leaders with the opportunity to anticipate threats, evaluate multiple courses of action and formulate effective responses before crises emerge.
“The Wargaming Centre will serve as a strategic hub for developing innovative solutions to national security challenges by providing a platform for rigorous analysis, operational experimentation and joint planning,” the Army Chief said.
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Lieutenant General Shaibu also acknowledged the efforts of his predecessors, whose vision and commitment laid the foundation for the project, while commending the Commandant and faculty of the Army War College for acquiring advanced wargaming expertise through engagements with allied military institutions ahead of the completion of the facility.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, Major General Umar Alkali, thanked the Chief of Army Staff for supporting the completion and equipping of the centre with modern wargaming infrastructure.
He explained that the facility would provide a realistic environment for participants to test campaign plans, assess force employment concepts, explore alternative operational strategies and evaluate the implications of strategic decisions through both manual and computer-assisted wargames.
According to him, the centre will also integrate land, maritime, air, cyber and information domains into joint operational scenarios, thereby improving interoperability and jointness among the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Beyond training, Alkali said the Wargaming Centre would support doctrine development, concept validation, operational research and strategic-level analysis.
The newly commissioned complex comprises two large wargaming halls, four exercise rooms, three theatre laboratories, ten syndicate rooms, a conference room, a library, a digital server room and other supporting facilities.
The Army said the centre is expected to significantly strengthen its capacity to anticipate future threats, develop effective response options and contribute meaningfully to the achievement of Nigeria’s national security objectives.
By PRNigeria
