Army Chief Orders Nigerian Defence Academy to Intensify Training Focus on Discipline, Innovation, and Modern Warfare Skills
Army Chief Orders Nigerian Defence Academy to Intensify Training Focus on Discipline, Innovation, and Modern Warfare Skills
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has instructed the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to intensify cadet training with a renewed focus on discipline, character, courage, and strategic thinking to better prepare officers for modern warfare challenges.
He issued this directive on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the NDA Commandant, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, to the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Shaibu emphasized that developing a new generation of officers capable of effectively responding to evolving security threats requires more rigorous, battle-hardened training programs and a curriculum aligned with current operational realities. He also called for the enhancement of the academy’s research arms, especially the Department of Military Science, highlighting their crucial role in advancing Nigeria’s defense industry, military innovation, and self-reliance.
“The strength of our research initiatives provides the intellectual foundation necessary for a modern, technologically advanced fighting force,” Shaibu stated.
Furthermore, he recommended a comprehensive review of the NDA curriculum to include night operations training, improved physical fitness standards, artificial intelligence applications, and other emerging domains of warfare. These measures aim to instill the “warrior ethos” and leadership qualities vital for transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, and resilient force capable of fulfilling its constitutional duties within a joint and multi-agency environment.
Shaibu assured his full support to the NDA leadership in implementing these reforms, reaffirming the Army Headquarters’ commitment to producing strategically sound, operationally competent officers prepared for today’s complex security landscape.
In response, Major General Olatoye congratulated the COAS on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and appreciated the confidence placed in him to lead Nigeria’s premier military training institution. He described the NDA as the “training factory” for future armed forces officers and pledged to build on the accomplishments of his predecessors, seeking continued support to fulfill the institution’s mission of producing disciplined, professional, and dependable officers committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s security interests.
