The ongoing expansion of the Nigerian Army will significantly strengthen its operational reach and capacity to secure communities, protect economic activities and create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and investment, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has said.
Shaibu made the assertion on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, while delivering a lecture titled, “Safeguarding the Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development: The Role of the Nigerian Army,” to participants of Senior Executive Course 48, 2026, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.
The COAS, according to a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the expansion of the Army was aimed at broadening its operational footprint, particularly in vulnerable areas, while improving its ability to respond rapidly to emerging security threats.
He explained that the establishment of additional formations and units would strengthen the Army’s presence across the country and enhance the protection of communities, critical national infrastructure and economic activities.
Shaibu linked national security directly to economic prosperity, stressing that entrepreneurship, investment and creative enterprise could not thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity.
According to him, insecurity disrupts businesses, restricts movement, discourages investors and undermines productivity, making effective security a critical foundation for sustainable economic development.
The Army Chief also highlighted the growing importance of Nigeria’s Orange Economy, which encompasses sectors such as arts, culture, music, film and digital content.
He noted that Nigeria’s creative industry had become an increasingly important source of employment, investment, cultural diplomacy and wealth creation, with the country’s creative talents continuing to project Nigeria’s image and influence internationally.
Shaibu maintained that the Nigerian Army’s role in national development goes beyond kinetic operations against terrorists and other criminal elements, arguing that successful security operations help create the stability required for businesses, entrepreneurs, investors and creative professionals to operate freely.
He further explained that the expanded force structure would help deny terrorists and other criminal groups freedom of action while providing greater security for economic activities across the country.
The COAS called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, government institutions, the private sector and stakeholders in the creative industry, stressing that the responsibility for maintaining a secure environment rests on all sectors of society.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to supporting national development by strengthening the security environment necessary for entrepreneurship, investment, creativity and sustainable economic growth.
