The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has emphasised that excellent training and mastery of core warfighting skills remain central to achieving operational success in the Nigerian Army.
He made this known on Friday while inaugurating Course 10/2026 at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), described the institution as the Nigerian Army’s premier centre for operational-level military education.
According to the Army Chief, the College plays a strategic role in bridging the gap between tactical operations and strategic command by equipping carefully selected officers with the capacity to translate national and military objectives into coordinated operational plans within joint and multi-agency environments.
Lieutenant General Shaibu noted that since its establishment in 2017, the AWCN has developed into a hub of excellence in operational art, military strategy and national security studies, recording progress in curriculum development, research, innovation and infrastructure. Quoting former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, he reiterated that effective military performance depends largely on quality training and the acquisition of essential professional skills.
He urged participants to adopt innovative thinking and continuously update their knowledge to remain effective in an increasingly complex security environment. The COAS added that the course aligned with his command philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities.
Against the backdrop of evolving asymmetric threats, he stressed the importance of adaptive leadership, operational preparedness and sound administration, encouraging participants to broaden their strategic outlook and develop practical solutions to emerging security challenges.
Earlier, the Commandant of AWCN, Major General Umaru Alkali, described the inauguration as a significant milestone in the officers’ professional development. He explained that the course is structured to produce agile, informed and decisive leaders capable of operating effectively in today’s volatile security landscape.
Course 10/2026 comprised 85 senior officers of the Nigerian Army, alongside participants from the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force, as well as officers from Botswana, Chad, Guinea, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Ghana and South Africa, reflecting Nigeria’s growing leadership role in regional peace and security cooperation.
The ceremony also featured an inaugural lecture titled “Harnessing Indigenous Technological Innovations for Enhanced National Defence,” delivered by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (Rtd).
