Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, urged Commandant of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Major-General Oluyemi Olatoye, to intensify cadet training with a strong emphasis on leadership, discipline, character, courage and strategic thinking, in order to bridge operational gaps within the Nigerian Army.
The directive was issued during a courtesy visit by the NDA commandant to Army Headquarters in Abuja.
A statement by Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant-Colonel Apollonia Anele, stated that the COAS stressed the importance of strengthening research centres, particularly the NDA Department of Military Science. He described this as a crucial step towards boosting the National Defence Industry and enhancing indigenous capacity for military innovation and self-reliance.
“A robust research framework is essential to provide the intellectual foundation for a modern, responsive and technologically advanced fighting force,” the COAS said.
Shaibu also called for a comprehensive review of the NDA curriculum to address contemporary security challenges.
He highlighted the need for enhanced night training, physical fitness, artificial intelligence integration, and other emerging domains of modern warfare.
According to him, these measures will equip young officers with the warrior ethos, operational competence, and leadership skills necessary to implement 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.”
The COAS pledged his full support to the NDA commandant in achieving the objectives, reaffirming his commitment to producing officers capable of meeting Nigeria’s evolving security needs.
In response, Olatoye congratulated the COAS on his appointment by President Bola Tinubu and expressed gratitude to the military leadership for the trust placed in him to lead the country’s premier military training institution.
He described NDA as the “training factory” for the armed forces’ future officers.
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