The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for a more battle-focused and future-driven training regime for cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), emphasising that the realities of modern warfare demand officers who are mentally, physically and technologically prepared.
He delivered the charge on Tuesday, 26 November 2025, when the Commandant of the NDA, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, paid him a courtesy visit at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement issued from the Army headquarters, Lieutenant General Shaibu noted that purposeful leadership, discipline, character, courage and strategic thinking must remain core pillars of cadet development if the Armed Forces are to bridge existing gaps in military operations. He stressed that the NDA must intensify efforts to produce officers capable of responding decisively to Nigeria’s complex and evolving security landscape.
A major thrust of his address was the need to strengthen research capabilities within the Academy—particularly the Department of Military Science—as part of a broader effort to boost the National Defence Industry and enhance indigenous innovation. According to him, a vibrant research ecosystem will provide the intellectual foundation for building a technologically advanced, self-reliant and combat-ready Army.
The COAS also advocated a comprehensive curriculum overhaul that reflects global security dynamics, with greater emphasis on night operations, physical fitness, artificial intelligence and other emerging warfare domains. These reforms, he said, are essential to instilling the warrior ethos and battle-oriented leadership skills that underpin 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.”
Reaffirming his full support to the NDA leadership, Lieutenant General Shaibu pledged to work closely with the Commandant to ensure that the Academy continues to produce officers who are strategically sound, operationally competent and fully prepared to meet contemporary threats
In his remarks, Major General Olatoye congratulated the COAS on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him to lead Nigeria’s foremost military training institution. He described the NDA as the nation’s “training factory” for future military leaders and pledged to build on the foundations laid by his predecessors.
The Commandant also appealed for sustained support from the Army leadership to realise the Academy’s vision of producing disciplined, professional and mission-ready officers capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s security interests.
