The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to continuously reviewing its doctrine and leadership training to keep pace with the changing nature of warfare and emerging security threats across the country.
Lt. Gen. Shaibu stated this on Wednesday at the opening of the 2026 Doctrine and Combat Development Leadership Seminar organised by the Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army (TRADOC NA) in Minna, Niger State.
Represented by the Director General, Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, Abuja, Maj. Gen. Tariweriye Gagariga, the Chief of Army Staff said military doctrine must remain dynamic and responsive to lessons learned from contemporary operations.
He said lessons from operational engagements must be translated into improved training, leadership practices and combat development to ensure that the Nigerian Army remains prepared to respond effectively to emerging threats.
The seminar, themed, “Enhancing Doctrinal Development in the Nigerian Army for Effective Leadership Training and Operations in a Joint Environment,” is aimed at strengthening leadership development and preparing personnel for the complexities of modern military operations.
Shaibu urged participants to continually examine the Army’s operational experiences, identify lessons and incorporate relevant innovations into its doctrine and training systems.
He stressed the need for commanders to develop effective relationships across organisational boundaries, particularly when operating in conventional warfare, asymmetric operations, counter-terrorism, peace-support missions and other complex security environments.
The Chief of Army Staff charged participants to ensure that knowledge and recommendations generated at the seminar translate into practical improvements across formations and units.
As part of the event, Shaibu also commissioned housing and water projects executed under the 2026 Chief of Army Staff Intervention Projects in line with his “Soldier First” concept.
The projects at Minna Army Barracks include six renovated units of Single Officers’ Quarters, 84 family quarters for Corporals and below, and 11 boreholes fitted with 20,000-litre overhead water tanks.
Eight additional units of Single Officers’ Quarters are currently undergoing renovation, while construction is also ongoing on 36 family quarters for Corporals and below.
Earlier, the Commander, TRADOC NA, Maj. Gen. Peter Malla, said continuous improvement in military doctrine and leadership training was critical to enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
Malla said the seminar was timely, given the Army’s ongoing transformation into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of effectively discharging its constitutional responsibilities in a joint and multi-agency environment.
According to him, the evolving character of warfare, driven by unmanned systems, emerging technologies, information operations, cyber capabilities and asymmetric methods, requires competent and adaptable leaders guided by relevant military doctrine.
The TRADOC Commander also noted that the recent expansion of the Nigerian Army, including the establishment of four additional divisions, had increased the need for effective command and control, standardisation, interoperability and doctrinal coherence across formations.
He said the seminar would provide participants with an opportunity to identify doctrinal gaps, examine lessons from contemporary operations and strengthen leadership development and interoperability within the Nigerian Army.
