The Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) has formally inaugurated the Mid and Senior Level Officers’ Entrepreneurship and Management Course 17/2026, charged participants to embrace innovation, resilience and strategic thinking in preparation for productive post-service life.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Her Excellency, Dr. Mrs. Onari Duke, described the programme as a major milestone in the Centre’s training calendar, following the successful completion of a two-week foundational segment of the Mid-Level Course which focused on Agricultural Management and Entrepreneurship.
She warmly welcomed the Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, commending his leadership and commitment to excellence. Dr. Duke noted that the course underscored the strong collaboration between NAFRC and the Empretec Nigeria Foundation in equipping officers with practical entrepreneurial and management skills.
According to her, Course 17/2026 integrated lectures, workshops and strategic excursions to provide a holistic learning experience. Scheduled visits include Spectra Industries, Agege (March 6); the Nigerian Conservation Centre (March 7); Commint Buka, Surulere (March 13); and a foreign study tour to Songhai Farms in Porto Novo, Benin Republic (March 16), with departure on March 15 and return on March 17.
She explained that senior officers would undertake modules covering 21st century leadership challenges, strategic profitability, project management, corporate governance and resolution strategies. Mid-level officers, on the other hand, will focus on interpersonal skills, legal structures for business sustainability, transformational leadership, wellness and effective sales and marketing tools.
Dr. Duke urged participants to see retirement not as an end, but as a new beginning that offers opportunities for value creation, employment generation and national development.
In his inaugural address, the Commandant, AVM Nnaemeka Ilo, congratulated the 40 nominated officers—23 mid-level and 17 senior officers described the course as highly coveted and strategically important.
He emphasized that while the programme is not a pre-retirement course, it is designed to expose officers to the realities of the civilian business environment and sharpen their decision-making capacity.
AVM Ilo disclosed that the Centre has trained over 49,000 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers under its pre-discharge programme, with 724 personnel currently undergoing Course 1/2026. He added that more than 312 senior officers across the Armed Forces and other security agencies have benefited from the entrepreneurship and management initiative conducted in partnership with the Empretec Nigeria Foundation.
He appreciated the Chief of Defence Staff, General OO Oluyede; the Service Chiefs; the Chief of Defence Intelligence; and the Chief of Defence Space Administration for approving participants’ nominations. He also acknowledged the support of the Minister of Defence, General CG Musa (rtd), and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sustaining the training initiative.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director of Training, Brigadier General Isang Akpaumontia, said the course aligns with the Centre’s 2026 Forecast of Events and has now been approved to hold quarterly to accommodate more officers.
He revealed that the 17 senior officers were drawn from Defence Headquarters, Defence Intelligence Agency, Defence Space Administration and the three Services, while expressing optimism that other security agencies would participate in future editions.
Brig Gen Akpaumontia explained that the training commenced with agricultural production modules and has progressed to entrepreneurial and business management sessions facilitated by the Empretec Nigeria Foundation, a private sector initiative of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
He assured participants of adequate welfare, medical and recreational facilities within the Centre and urged them to remain disciplined, punctual and security-conscious throughout the duration of the course.
The ceremony culminated in the formal inauguration of the participants by AVM Nnaemeka Ilo, who declared them duly inaugurated as members of the Mid and Senior-Level Officers’ Entrepreneurship and Management Course 17/2026 and wished them a transformative and impactful learning experience.
