COAS Reforms Army, Overhauls Troops Welfare, Civil Group Says

… Wounded-in-action soldiers to receive free permanent housing.
….Says reforms signal new war doctrine
..Cites housing, training as game changer
…Early gains must reflect on battlefield

The Nigeria Integrity Watch has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, over what it described as a sweeping transformation of the Nigerian Army within his first 90 days in office.

The civil society organisation said the scale and pace of reforms under Shaibu signal a decisive shift in Nigeria’s military strategy amid worsening security challenges.

In a statement on Monday, the NIW spokesperson, Dr John Samuel Nang, said the Army Chief’s focus on welfare, training, recruitment and international cooperation marked “one of the most ambitious institutional reforms in recent Army history.”

Shaibu, who assumed office on October 24, 2025, has within three months commissioned housing estates, inducted 6,830 soldiers, promoted 105 senior officers and overhauled training programmes across formations.

The group particularly praised the expansion of the Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers scheme, describing it as a morale-boosting intervention for troops on the frontlines.

It noted that the commissioning of a 60-unit housing estate in Ibadan, alongside similar projects in Abuja, Benin, Jos and Akwa Ibom, reflected a deliberate “soldier-first” welfare policy.

NIW also highlighted the Army Chief’s push to strengthen manpower, citing the graduation of recruits in Zaria and Osogbo, as well as plans to train an additional 7,000 soldiers at the newly approved depot in Abakaliki.

According to the organisation, Shaibu’s emphasis on intelligence-led operations, inter-agency collaboration and modern warfare training showed a clear understanding of evolving security threats.

It said his recent lecture at the National Defence College, where he outlined a multi-domain strategy combining kinetic action with intelligence fusion and international partnerships, underscored a more adaptive military posture.

The group further welcomed the Army’s growing cooperation with the United States and Switzerland, especially in intelligence sharing, capacity building and frontline medical support.

While urging sustained implementation, NIW said the reforms had raised expectations that improved welfare, training and coordination would translate into better security outcomes nationwide.

“The foundation has been laid. Nigerians will now be watching to see tangible gains on the battlefield and in civilian safety,” the statement added.