By Bavoriat Clara
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Lagos, in a renewed drive to enhance troops’ welfare and guarantee a successful transition to life after military service.
The assurance was given on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, during a high-level engagement with the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
In a statement issued by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS stressed that welfare interventions must go beyond active service, noting that structured resettlement and empowerment programmes are critical to ensuring long-term stability, productivity, and self-reliance for personnel after retirement.
Lieutenant General Shaibu congratulated Air Vice Marshal Ilo on his appointment and underscored the strategic importance of NAFRC in equipping serving and retiring personnel with vocational, technical, and professional skills. He described the Centre as a key pillar in the Nigerian Army’s evolving welfare architecture and emphasised the need to eliminate operational bottlenecks that hinder effective skills acquisition and post-service transition.
The Army Chief commended NAFRC’s wide range of skills acquisition initiatives, describing them as vital to a smooth and dignified transition from military to civilian life. He also acknowledged the enormous leadership responsibility involved in managing the welfare and development needs of the large number of Nigerian Army personnel undergoing various training programmes at the Centre.
Reiterating the Army’s commitment to welfare reforms, the COAS called for strengthened institutional capacity and the adoption of structured post-training placement mechanisms. He noted that many trained personnel possess valuable technical and professional competencies that can be effectively deployed in civilian organisations and the private sector.
He therefore urged NAFRC to deepen partnerships, strengthen data management systems, and adopt human-resource-driven placement strategies to enhance reintegration and long-term employability.
In his response, the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, expressed appreciation for the sustained synergy between the Nigerian Army and the Centre, particularly the COAS’s personal commitment to its mandate. He disclosed that a significant number of Nigerian Army personnel are currently participating in various NAFRC training programmes, positioning the Centre as a major hub for professional development and post-service empowerment.
Air Vice Marshal Ilo assured the COAS of the Centre’s continued loyalty and pledged to faithfully implement all directives aimed at improving personnel welfare and achieving optimal resettlement outcomes.
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