The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has urged the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to adopt tougher, battle-hardened training methods to prepare cadets for the realities of modern warfare.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the NDA Commandant, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, to Army Headquarters in Abuja, Shaibu stressed that discipline, courage, character, and strategic thinking must form the backbone of officer training.
“We must ensure that our young officers are fully attuned to the realities of modern battlefields,” Shaibu declared. “They must embody the warrior ethos and battle-oriented leadership skills that will drive the transformation of the Nigerian Army into a professional, adaptable, and resilient force.”
Pushes for research and innovation
The Army Chief emphasized the importance of strengthening research centres, particularly the NDA’s Department of Military Science, as part of efforts to boost Nigeria’s defence industry. He noted that indigenous innovation and self-reliance in military technology would provide the intellectual backbone for a responsive and technologically advanced fighting force.
“A robust research framework is not optional—it is the foundation of a modern army,” Shaibu said. “We must invest in knowledge and innovation to secure our future.”
Curriculum Overhaul
Shaibu further called for a comprehensive review of the NDA curriculum to reflect contemporary security challenges. He highlighted areas such as night training, physical fitness, artificial intelligence, and emerging warfare domains as critical components of officer development.
He pledged full support to the Commandant in achieving these reforms, reaffirming his commitment to producing officers who are “strategically sound, operationally competent, and ready to meet the evolving demands of national security.”
NDA Commandant Responds
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 the NDA.
“The NDA is the training factory for future officers of the Armed Forces,” Olatoye said. “We will build on the legacies of our predecessors, but we need sustained support from the Army leadership to achieve our mission of producing disciplined and professional officers capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s security interests.”
The Commandant assured that the academy would continue to uphold its vision while adapting to new realities of warfare, aligning with the COAS’s directive for tougher, more innovative training.