Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede Declares Open The Nigerian Army Doctrine and Training Conference 2025

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede Declares Open The Nigerian Army Doctrine and Training Conference 2025

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has declared open the Nigerian Army Doctrine and Training Conference for the year 2025. The event, held on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, in Minna, Niger State, is a significant step toward redefining the Nigerian Army’s approach to training and doctrine implementation. Speaking at the conference, Lieutenant General Oluyede underscored the importance of this annual gathering as a platform for detailed deliberations on the execution of the Nigerian Army Training Directive 2025 and beyond. He commended the efforts of the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in spearheading the paradigm shift in personnel training to ensure alignment with contemporary security demands.

The COAS expressed satisfaction with the theme of this year’s conference, “Understanding Nigerian Army Doctrine for Effective Training within a Joint Environment,” which aligns seamlessly with his Command Philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a well-motivated and combat-ready force capable of fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities. He outlined the four pillars of his philosophy—Leadership, Sound Administration, Professionalism, and Combat Readiness—emphasizing the critical role of doctrine in the Nigerian Army’s operational framework. Lieutenant General Oluyede reiterated his commitment to advancing realistic training, ensuring troop welfare, and pursuing pragmatic equipment procurement and maintenance. He stressed that these elements are indispensable for achieving the combat readiness needed to meet Nigeria’s unique security challenges. He highlighted the multifaceted nature of Nigeria’s current security environment, which includes threats such as terrorism, insurgency, banditry, farmers-herders conflicts, economic crimes, and separatist movements. The COAS noted that, over the past decade, the Nigerian Army has consistently prioritized equipment upgrades and manpower development to effectively respond to these threats.

Lieutenant General Oluyede expressed confidence that the conference would critically assess Nigeria’s security and defense landscape, evaluate the Nigerian Army’s training curriculum, and generate innovative ideas to enhance how the Army prepares for and conducts operations.

In his address, the Commander of TRADOC, Major General Kevin Aligbe, acknowledged the strategic importance of the conference in setting the tone for training activities across all Nigerian Army institutions. He emphasized the Nigerian Army’s Proactive Responsive Doctrine as the guiding principle for training programs aimed at developing capacity to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. Major General Aligbe also stressed the importance of collaboration with sister services, security agencies, and non-governmental stakeholders in safeguarding the nation.

After inaugurating the conference, the COAS interacted with troops stationed at the Minna Cantonment. where he assured personnel that their welfare remains a top priority for his administration and pledged to address challenges within available resources. He urged the troops to remain committed to their duties, emphasizing the critical role of the Nigerian Army in ensuring national security and enabling socio-economic development. The COAS concluded by expressing gratitude to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unwavering support and strategic leadership. He acknowledged the collaborative efforts between the Nigerian Army, sister services, and other security agencies in addressing the nation’s security challenges.