Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has directed the immediate and swift completion of all ongoing residential accommodation projects in Nigerian Army barracks nationwide as part of efforts to improve troop welfare and living conditions. The directive was issued on Thursday during the closing ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference 2025 in Abuja.
Shaibu emphasised that enhancing the welfare of army personnel, particularly in the area of housing, is a core priority of his command and said he will build on the initiatives of previous chiefs of army staff to address chronic accommodation shortages. He stated that all current housing projects will be completed and allocated without delay, and new residential developments will be initiated across divisions and barracks nationwide. Renovation of existing facilities will also be undertaken as an interim measure to improve living conditions.
In addition to in-service housing, the COAS reaffirmed his commitment to post-service accommodation for soldiers and officers, stressing that retirement should not be accompanied by hardship. To underscore this commitment, he announced plans to commission the Affordable Home Ownership Option (AHOO) project for soldiers and the Post-Service Housing Development Limited shopping complex in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Shaibu also outlined broader reforms for the Nigerian Army’s training and operational frameworks. He pledged a comprehensive review of curricula at army schools to align training with modern security challenges, with greater emphasis on mission-specific instruction, Special Forces and Army Aviation capabilities. These reforms are intended to enhance operational effectiveness in counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and other evolving threat environments.
The COAS thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and reiterated the army’s loyalty to the Constitution, while thanking senior military leaders and conference participants for their contributions to shaping the force’s priorities going forward.
