The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has appealed to the National Assembly for special funding to address the Nigerian Army’s growing accommodation challenges, especially in light of the 13,000 new recruits expected to join the force this year.
General Oluyede made the call on Thursday during a visit by the Senate Committee on Army to the Army Headquarters in Abuja. While expressing appreciation for the committee’s continued support, he warned that the current funding model—specifically the envelope budgeting system—was no longer adequate to meet the Army’s operational and welfare demands.
“We are still grappling with the issue of accommodation for existing personnel, and now we have 13,000 recruits coming in this year alone,” the army chief said. “The situation is becoming more critical. There are no matching resources to house them.”
He stressed the need to explore special budgetary provisions beyond the standard envelope system, warning that failure to do so could compromise operational readiness and the welfare of soldiers.
“We are not only dealing with internal security threats. We must also be prepared for any external challenge,” he added. “Special funding is urgently needed to ensure our troops are adequately housed and equipped.”
In response, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, acknowledged the Army’s growing financial pressures and pledged the committee’s commitment to advocating for increased funding.
Yar’Adua supported the call to exempt the military from the envelope budgeting system, which he said restricts the flexibility needed for effective planning and execution. He also noted that the committee had carried out oversight visits to formations across Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Lagos states.
“We want to assure the Chief of Army Staff of our continued backing,” he said. “We will work closely with the executive to ensure the Nigerian Army receives the resources it requires.”
The senator added that another round of oversight visits would be conducted before the end of the year to evaluate the implementation of the 2025 defence budget.
