COAS to NDA: Build Officers Fit for Modern Warfare
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to intensify cadet training and produce officers fully prepared for the complexity of modern warfare.
He gave the directive on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by the Commandant of the Academy, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, to Army Headquarters in Abuja.
General Shaibu said the realities of today’s battlefields demand officers who are mentally agile, technologically aware, physically fit and strategically grounded.
He noted that the NDA must scale up battle-oriented instruction rooted in discipline, character, courage and tactical innovation.
The Acting Director Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, said in a statement that the Army Chief emphasized the need to strengthen the NDA’s research institutions, particularly the Department of Military Science, describing it as a strategic hub for advancing Nigeria’s defence industry and expanding indigenous military innovation.
“A strong research backbone is key to building a modern and resilient force,” he said, stressing that innovation and self-reliance must become core pillars of officer training.
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General Shaibu also called for a curriculum overhaul that reflects emerging security challenges, including artificial intelligence, cyber operations, night warfare, and enhanced physical conditioning.
He said these reforms were essential to support his Command Philosophy: “To Advance the Transformation of the Nigerian Army into a More Professional, Adaptable, Combat Ready and Resilient Force Capable of Decisively Discharging its Constitutional Responsibilities Within a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment.”
He assured the Commandant of full support in achieving these goals, reaffirming his commitment to ensuring that the NDA continues to produce officers who are strategically sound and operationally competent.
Responding, Major General Olatoye congratulated the COAS on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the NDA as the training “factory” for future officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
He pledged to deepen reforms already underway and to build on the structures established by his predecessors.
The Commandant also appealed for sustained backing from Army Headquarters, noting that the Academy’s mission of producing disciplined, professional and combat-ready officers can only be achieved through continuous collaboration.
The visit marks a renewed alignment between the Nigerian Army leadership and the NDA as the military intensifies efforts to prepare young officers for dynamic threats facing the nation.
By PRNigeria
