NDC Presents Strategic Blueprint To Army Chief On Strengthening NCO Leadership

The National Defence College (NDC) has presented a strategic research paper to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, proposing reforms aimed at strengthening the leadership capacity of the Nigerian Army’s Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) to enhance operational effectiveness and mission success by 2035.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the paper, titled “Strengthening Non-Commissioned Officers Leadership for Operational Efficiency: Strategic Options for the Nigerian Army by 2035,” was presented at the Army Headquarters in Abuja by the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed.

According to the statement, the study provides strategic policy options designed to reinforce leadership, professionalism and institutional resilience within the Nigerian Army through a more capable, empowered and future-ready NCO corps.

Receiving the report, Shaibu commended the Commandant and participants of National Defence College Course 34 for producing what he described as “a timely, forward-looking and operationally relevant study.”

He said the research was “a valuable intellectual contribution to the Nigerian Army’s ongoing transformation efforts,” stressing that effective leadership at the Non-Commissioned Officer level remains critical to building “a highly professional, disciplined and combat-ready force capable of addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.”

The Army chief reaffirmed that NCOs remain the backbone of the Nigerian Army, serving as the link between commanders and soldiers while translating operational directives into action on the battlefield.

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He added that “strengthening their leadership capacity is fundamental to improving tactical effectiveness, operational readiness and overall mission accomplishment,” noting that the recommendations would be reviewed by the relevant Army Headquarters departments for possible integration into existing policies and leadership development programmes.

Shaibu also emphasised that investment in the professional development, welfare and career progression of soldiers remains central to his command philosophy of advancing the transformation of the Nigerian Army into “a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment.”

He said the study aligns with his “Soldier First” initiative, which prioritises the welfare, professional growth and empowerment of personnel as the foundation for enhanced operational capability, institutional excellence and national security.

Earlier, Ahmed explained that the research was undertaken by Nigerian Army participants of National Defence College Course 34 as part of the academic requirements of the programme.

He said the study critically examined existing gaps in NCO leadership development and proposed reforms to strengthen training, mentorship, career progression and welfare frameworks in preparation for increasingly complex operational environments.

Ahmed expressed confidence that implementing the recommendations would “further enhance the leadership effectiveness of the Nigerian Army’s NCO corps, deepen professionalism and reinforce the Service’s capacity to safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty and protect the nation’s territorial integrity in an increasingly dynamic security landscape.”