National Higher Military School Republic Of Benin Visits AWCN On Study Tour

National Higher Military School Republic Of Benin Visits AWCN On Study Tour

A delegation from the National Higher Military School, Port-Novo, Republic of Benin, undertook a study tour of the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) on 1June 2026, aimed at understudying its crisis management framework and operational training model.

Leading the delegation, the Commandant of the National Higher Military School, Lieutenant Colonel Olou Jean, stated that the tour formed part of the academic programme for the 22nd Command and Staff Course. He explained that the visit was intended to expose participants to diverse crisis management approaches and enable them to compare theoretical concepts with practical applications in real operational environments.

In his remarks, the Commandant AWCN, Major General Umar Alkali, noted that Nigeria and the Republic of Benin share long-standing relations rooted in common cultural heritage. Represented by the Deputy Commandant/Director of Studies, Brigadier General Moyosore Akin-Ojo, he highlighted that AWCN places strong emphasis on strategic and operational wargaming and has contributed significantly to building the capacity of operational-level leaders in the Nigerian Army since its establishment in 2017. He further explained that the College is designed to bridge the gap between tactical and strategic levels by developing participants’ competencies in operational art, campaign planning, decision-making, strategy formulation, and theories of war.

Earlier, in a presentation on the theme of the study tour, “Framework for Officers’ Training in Response to Contemporary Security Challenges in Nigeria,” Brigadier General Munir Sani, a member of the AWCN Faculty, explained that the College’s training philosophy is aimed at producing officers capable of strategic judgement rather than procedural dependence. He noted that officers are increasingly required to operate in environments where threats are fluid, actors are adaptive, and outcomes are shaped as much by perception and information as by physical force. He further emphasised the need to develop officers as adaptive problem-solvers capable of operating effectively in complex, uncertain, and rapidly evolving operational environments.

The visit featured a briefing on AWCN, presentation of souvenirs and scholarly materials, a guided tour of the College facilities, and group photographs, among other activities.