CDS Charges Personnel on Joint Strategic Security Solutions As STRANEX 2026 Begins at NDC in Abuja

Abuja, Nigeria – The National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria, has commenced the 2026 Strategic National Security Exercise (STRANEX 2026), a high-level simulation designed to strengthen strategic leadership, joint military operations, and inter-agency collaboration in addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, ably represented by the Director of Training at Defence Headquarters, Major General S. Nuhu, said the exercise brings together participants of National Defence College Course 34 and the Services War Colleges in a unified strategic exercise designed to enhance collaboration in addressing Nigeria's evolving security challenges.

General Oluyede noted that the country's security environment has become increasingly complex, with threats ranging from terrorism and insurgency to maritime insecurity, sabotage, transnational organised crime and emerging hybrid threats. 

He said the exercise would provide participants with a platform to develop innovative, collaborative and whole-of-government solutions to national security issues while strengthening strategic thinking, improving inter-service cooperation and deepening understanding of the multidimensional nature of contemporary security operations.

He added that the initiative aligns with the Chief of Defence Staff's command philosophy of consolidating the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria through enhanced jointness, improved operational readiness, sound administration and stronger collaboration with security agencies, ministries, departments and agencies. 

Commending the leadership and faculty of the National Defence College and the Services War Colleges for conceptualising the exercise, General Oluyede formally declared STRANEX 2026 open and urged participants to make the exercise productive in advancing Nigeria's national security objectives.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, described STRANEX as a landmark initiative that brings together participants and faculty from the NDC and the Services War Colleges in a unified strategic exercise aimed at enhancing jointness, critical thinking, and a shared understanding of Nigeria’s complex national security environment.

Rear Admiral Ahmed noted that contemporary security threats such as terrorism, insurgency, maritime insecurity, cyber threats, transnational crime, and resource competition require integrated planning and coordinated national responses rather than isolated institutional efforts.

According to him, the exercise provides participants of NDC Course 34 and the Services War Colleges with an opportunity to analyse complex security scenarios, test strategic decision-making processes, and develop comprehensive solutions through collaboration among the Armed Forces and relevant national stakeholders.

The Commandant explained that the exercise aligns with the College’s mission of developing future strategic leaders equipped with the knowledge and analytical skills to effectively harness the instruments of national power within a dynamic defence and security environment.

He emphasized that STRANEX serves as a practical platform for participants to integrate diplomatic, informational, military, and economic instruments of national power in pursuit of Nigeria’s security and development objectives.

Rear Admiral Ahmed expressed appreciation to the Chief of Defence Staff for his visionary leadership and unwavering support for the exercise, as well as the Commandants of the Army, Naval, and Air War Colleges, faculty members, and organising committees whose efforts made the programme possible.

He urged participants to approach the exercise with intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness, and a commitment to constructive engagement, expressing confidence that the programme would deepen inter-service cooperation, enrich strategic thinking, and strengthen Nigeria’s collective capacity to safeguard its sovereignty and national interests.

The exercise, which runs from 3 to 14 August 2026 at the Abacha Auditorium of the National Defence College, Abuja, is regarded as the premier academic and operational capstone for senior military officers, security executives, and strategic leaders before graduation.

Unlike conventional military drills, STRANEX focuses on strategic crisis management by simulating complex national and regional security emergencies that require participants to formulate policies, allocate resources, and issue strategic directives under pressure.

The exercise also promotes joint operations by integrating the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), while enabling participants to employ the Diplomatic, Informational, Military, and Economic (DIME) instruments of national power in addressing asymmetric and unconventional security threats.

Participants include senior officers from the Armed Forces of Nigeria, personnel from paramilitary agencies, strategic federal MDAs, international fellows, and participants from the Army War College Nigeria, Naval War College Nigeria, and Air War College Nigeria.

Key focus areas of STRANEX 2026 include counter-terrorism, banditry, transnational organised crime, institutional strengthening, defence policy alignment with national development, and enhanced intelligence sharing through inter-agency collaboration. The exercise is expected to further reinforce strategic planning, national resilience, and unified responses to emerging security challenges.