Nigerian Army to revamp training, focus on special forces

The Nigerian Army has announced plans to revamp its training framework and revise curricula across its schools as part of a broader push to build a more agile and professional fighting force.

Speaking at the closing of the Chief of Army Staff’s annual conference in Lagos, Lt-Gen Waidi Shaibu said the reforms would begin next year and be shaped by the Army’s changing operational realities.

He said greater emphasis would be placed on Special Forces and Army Aviation, including targeted measures to strengthen the Special Forces School. According to him, intelligence briefings at the conference highlighted an increasingly complex security landscape, requiring stronger capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and cyber operations.

Shaibu explained that the overhaul would be centrally driven by Army Headquarters through the Department of Training, with a focus on realistic, mission-oriented instruction.

Beyond operations, the Army chief reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, particularly addressing accommodation shortages in barracks nationwide. He directed that ongoing housing projects be completed quickly, new ones launched across divisions, and ageing facilities renovated to ease pressure. He also restated the Army’s commitment to post-service housing for personnel.