The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Lagos, to improve personnel welfare and prepare troops for life after service.
Shaibu gave the assurance on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, during a high-level meeting with the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
He emphasised the need to remove operational challenges hindering effective skills acquisition and post-service transition, stressed that welfare support must extend beyond active duty to ensure long-term stability and productivity for personnel.
The Army Chief congratulated Air Vice Marshal Ilo on his appointment and highlighted the critical role of NAFRC in equipping military personnel with vocational, technical, and professional skills for economic self-reliance after retirement. He noted that structured resettlement programmes remain central to the Army’s evolving welfare framework.
Shaibu commended the Centre’s diverse training initiatives, described them as vital to ensuring a smooth and dignified transition from military to civilian life. He also acknowledged the leadership responsibility involved in managing the welfare and development of large numbers of personnel undergoing training at the Centre.
Reiterating the Army’s commitment to institutional capacity building and sustained welfare reforms, the COAS stressed the importance of effective post-training placement mechanisms. He encouraged NAFRC to strengthen partnerships, improve data management systems, and adopt human-resource-driven strategies to support seamless reintegration and long-term employability.
In his remarks, Air Vice Marshal Ilo expressed appreciation for the continued collaboration between the Nigerian Army and NAFRC, particularly the COAS’s personal support for the Centre’s mandate. He disclosed that a significant number of Army personnel are currently participating in various training programmes at the Centre.
The Commandant assured the COAS of NAFRC’s continued loyalty and pledged to implement all directives aimed at improving personnel welfare and resettlement outcomes.
The meeting highlighted the Nigerian Army’s renewed focus on comprehensive welfare policies that prioritise both active service and post-retirement empowerment.
