The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has announced plans to comprehensively realign the Nigerian Army’s training, operational and administrative structures to boost professionalism, combat readiness and adaptability.

Lt. Gen. Shaibu made this known in his closing remarks at the 2025 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference held in Lagos, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Army spokesperson, Colonel Onyechi Anele.

He said the Army would immediately begin harmonising its training, operations, logistics and administrative processes with his Command Philosophy, with the aim of strengthening the Army’s capacity to effectively perform its constitutional duties within a joint and multi-agency security environment.

As part of the reforms, the COAS announced a total review of training curricula across all Nigerian Army training institutions, stressing that realistic and mission-oriented training is critical to operational effectiveness and success.

According to him, the annual conference provided an opportunity for a thorough assessment of the Army’s operational and administrative performance in 2025, noting that the outcomes of the deliberations would guide policies and actions in the year ahead.

Lt. Gen. Shaibu further stated that intelligence briefings and operational updates presented at the conference highlighted the increasing complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges, underscoring the need to strengthen capabilities in Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR), cyber operations and technological innovation.

He added that the Nigerian Army would continue to adapt and innovate, while leveraging the support of political leadership to facilitate the procurement of critical military hardware and software.

On troop welfare, the Army Chief reaffirmed his commitment to addressing accommodation shortages in Army barracks nationwide. He disclosed that all ongoing residential projects had been directed to be completed and allocated promptly, while new housing projects and renovation works would be undertaken as interim measures.

He also said post-service housing for soldiers remains 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.

Lt. Gen. Shaibu commended the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), members of the conference planning committee and participants for their valuable contributions, which he said would shape future strategies and policy formulation.

He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his continued support and reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s loyalty to the President and its commitment to upholding the Constitution.

The 2025 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference, which brought together participants from the Defence Headquarters as well as Army formations and units across the country, was declared open on Monday, December 14, 2025, by President Tinubu.