…COAS Orders Sweeping Training Overhauls, Prioritises Elite Units, Intelligence and Army Aviation
By Yinka Giwa
In a decisive move to confront Nigeria’s deepening security challenges, the Nigerian Army is set for a major strategic pivot, with a renewed focus on Special Forces and airborne operations as the teeth of its counter-insurgency campaign.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, announced the far-reaching reforms at the close of the COAS Annual Conference 2025, signalling what military sources described as a fundamental reset of the Army’s operational doctrine.
In a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, the COAS said deliberations at the conference provided a frank appraisal of the Army’s operational and administrative performance in 2025 and would shape policies and actions in the year ahead.
Shaibu disclosed that the Army would immediately realign its training, operations, logistics and administrative structures with his Command Philosophy, aimed at building a more professional, adaptable and combat-ready force capable of operating effectively within a joint and multi-agency security environment.
As part of the shake-up, the COAS ordered a total overhaul of training curricula across all Army institutions, with emphasis on realistic, mission-oriented and mission-specific training tailored to today’s asymmetric threats.
He said the Army Headquarters, through the Department of Training, would now prioritise Special Forces and Army Aviation to enhance operational effectiveness and battlefield dominance.
“The Nigerian Army will make informed but bold changes to its training and operational activities, including deliberate interventions to strengthen Special Forces institutions,” Shaibu declared.
The COAS noted that intelligence briefings presented at the conference underscored the growing complexity and fluidity of Nigeria’s security landscape, stressing the urgent need to enhance Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR), cyber operations, and technological innovation.
According to him, the Army would continue to adapt and innovate, leveraging sustained support from the political leadership to procure critical military hardware and software, while fostering a culture of innovation and initiative at all levels of command.
On troop welfare, Shaibu reaffirmed his commitment to tackling accommodation deficits across Army barracks nationwide. He directed the completion and immediate allocation of all ongoing residential projects and announced the launch of new housing schemes, alongside extensive renovations, as interim measures.
He further disclosed that post-service housing for soldiers remained a priority, announcing the commissioning of the Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) Akobo Project and the Post-Service Housing Development Limited Shopping Complex in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The COAS commended the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army) and the conference planning committee for the successful organisation of the event, praising participants for their robust and forward-looking contributions.
He also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his sustained support, reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s loyalty to the President and its constitutional mandate.
The COAS Annual Conference 2025, which was declared open by President Tinubu on December 14, drew senior officers from Defence Headquarters, formations and units of the Nigerian Army across the country.