The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, has called for intensified training and structured career planning to enhance the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
Shaibu made the call at the opening of the Army Headquarters Department of Personnel Management First Bi-Annual Career Planning Seminar in Abuja.
Represented by the Chief of Special Services and Programmes (Army), Maj.-Gen. Aminu Garba, the COAS said that modern warfare demanded proactive, innovative, and resilient force capable of responding effectively to evolving security challenges.
“The dynamic nature of modern warfare demands a Nigerian Army that is proactive, innovative, and resilient,” he said.
The COAS stressed that effective career planning and personnel management remained central to building a professional and combat-ready force.
He said his command philosophy depended largely on effective management and deployment of personnel across formations.
According to him, efficient career planning and management are indispensable in building a highly professional, motivated, and combat-ready force. “The success of my command philosophy depends significantly on how well we manage and develop our personnel.”
Shaibu urged that soldiers be deployed based on competence, skills and operational requirements to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
He also commended ongoing efforts to digitalise soldiers’ records, noting that such reforms would improve transparency and efficiency in postings and administration.
He urged participants to apply lessons learnt and cascade knowledge to their units to strengthen institutional capacity.
”It is imperative to ensure soldiers are deployed based on their competencies, skills, and potential. This initiative will enhance efficiency in postings, appointments and reporting processes,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chief of Personnel Management (Army), Maj.-Gen. Adewale Adekeye, said that the seminar was designed to guide soldiers on structured and rewarding career progression within the Nigerian Army.
Adekeye also said that the programme would educate personnel on effective career planning, documentation and compliance with administrative guidelines critical to promotion and advancement.
According to him, the seminar is aimed at educating soldiers on effective career planning, documentation and compliance with established guidelines critical to their progression.
Adekeye explained that the department, established in 2023 following the merger of the Central Army Records Office and the Directorate of Manning, was still evolving to improve personnel management systems.
He noted that gaps in awareness and improper handling of the Confidential Evaluation Report (CER) had negatively affected some soldiers’ career progression.
”The CER remains a mandatory annual requirement and a key factor in promotion and career progression,” he said.
He added that the department was committed to improving access to career documents, including the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service, through digital solutions.
He also said that the seminar would cover transition and resettlement planning, post-service opportunities, military law, mentoring, substance abuse effects on operational effectiveness, and insurance schemes.
He commended the COAS for approving the seminar and expressed optimism that it would enhance career satisfaction and operational effectiveness across the Army.
