COAS Deepens Strategic Partnership with NAFRC to Advance Troops’ Welfare, Post-Service Empowerment

Abuja — 3 February 2026

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Lagos, as part of sustained efforts to enhance troops’ welfare and ensure effective post-service empowerment.

Lieutenant General Shaibu gave the assurance 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. He underscored the importance of eliminating operational bottlenecks that hinder effective skills acquisition and smooth post-service transition, noting that welfare support for personnel must extend beyond active service to guarantee long-term stability and productivity.
The COAS congratulated Air Vice Marshal Ilo on his appointment and highlighted the strategic role of NAFRC in equipping military personnel with vocational, technical, and professional competencies essential for economic self-reliance after retirement. He stressed that structured resettlement programmes remain a core component of the Nigerian Army’s evolving welfare architecture.

Commending the Centre’s diverse skills acquisition initiatives, Lieutenant General Shaibu described them as critical enablers of a dignified and seamless 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 training at the Centre.
The Army Chief reiterated the Nigerian Army’s resolve to strengthen institutional capacity and sustain welfare reforms that prioritise personnel development. He further emphasised the need for structured post-training placement mechanisms, observing that many trained personnel possess valuable technical and professional skills that can be effectively deployed in civilian organisations and the private sector.

He encouraged NAFRC to deepen partnerships, strengthen data management systems, and adopt human-resource-driven placement strategies to support reintegration and long-term employability.

In his remarks, Air Vice Marshal Ilo expressed deep appreciation for the enduring synergy between the Nigerian Army and NAFRC, particularly the COAS’s personal commitment to the Centre’s mandate. He disclosed that a significant number of Nigerian Army personnel are currently among the Armed Forces contingents undergoing various training programmes at the Centre, positioning NAFRC as a critical engine for professional development and post-service empowerment.

The Commandant assured the COAS of the Centre’s continued loyalty and pledged to faithfully implement all directives aimed at enhancing personnel welfare and improving resettlement outcomes.

Appolonia Anele
Colonel
Acting Director, Army Public Relations
3 February 2026