The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede has officially Inaugurated Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Course 9/2025, 80 participants, composed of 67 Nigerian Army officers, 2 each from the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force. There are also 9 Allied officers from friendly countries. The Allied officers on this course comprise 2 participants each from the Republic of Botswana, Cameroon and Liberia while one participants each from the Republic of Benin.
Inaugurating the Course 9/2025 on Friday, 14 February 2025 in Abuja, the Army Chief charged participants of Course 9/2025 to embrace new ideas, stay disciplined, and maximise their time in Abuja's conducive learning environment.
He charged them to fully commit to their training, emphasising that the knowledge gained would enhance their operational effectiveness and foster synergy among security agencies.
The Special Guest of Honour, Lt. General Oluyede emphasised the pivotal role of AWCN in producing well-trained, operational-level officers capable of navigating Nigeria's evolving security landscape
He stressed that the event reaffirmed the institution's dedication to shaping strategic-level military leaders. He also noted that resilience and adaptability are key to combating insurgency, terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges confronting the nation.
Describing the inaugural lecture topic, "Resilient Leadership as a Key Requirement in Tackling Nigeria's Multifaceted Security Challenges,", the COAS said its timely and relevant, considering the multifaceted threats confronting the nation.
The COAS commended the Commandant AWCN, Major General Umar Mohammed Alkali, and his deputy, urging them to maintain the institution's high academic and professional standards. The COAS also charged the faculty and staff to continue inspiring participants to develop innovative solutions to Nigeria's security challenges.
Highlighting AWCN's remarkable growth since its establishment in 2017, the COAS stated that the institution has evolved into a centre of excellence, equipping officers with strategic thinking, operational planning, and leadership skills essential for modern military operations.
He noted that AWCN's international recognition continues to grow, attracting participants from Allied Nations in Africa further fostering regional military collaboration.
Delivering the inaugural lecture, highlight of the event was the inaugural lecture, titled *"Resilient Leadership as a Key Requirement in Tackling Nigeria's Multifaceted Security Challenges, the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya (Rtd) stressed that the lecture underscored the critical role of adaptive and resilient leadership in addressing Nigeria's complex security threats, reinforcing the need for dynamic military strategies in today's rapidly evolving security environment
Retired Lt General Yahaya stressed the Nexus between resilient leadership and national security challenges, he said resilience represents an all-encompassing principle, serving to understand and analyse threats and responses on any level and scale desirable.
In the national security arena, Fjäder argues that resilience challenges the traditional role of the state as a security provider.
He noted that the effective Military Leadership is about: Directing, Motivating and enabling others to accomplish the mission professionally and ethically, Developing or improving resilience capabilities. Decisions and actions of military strategic leadership seek to achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency in the use of its allocated resources while performing its task.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commandant AWCN, Major General Umar Mohammed Alkali reaffirmed the institution's mission of bridging the gap between strategic and tactical warfare, making it a critical hub for shaping Nigeria's future military leaders.
Maj General Alkali said the participants of Course 9/2025 will undergo a series of lectures, seminars, exercises and visits designed to enhance their competency to function efficiently as operational level leaders.
He pointed out that the participants who expect to graduate in October must be found worthy in character and in learning before they qualify for the award or fellowship of the Army War College Nigeria. He therefore enjoined participants to ensure they unlearn some of the biases, the arrangement, and open their minds to new ideas that will make them flourish and thus enable them to reach their potentials. They must remember that success is not a destination, but a journey.
He explained that AWCN Course 9/2025 would undergo a rigorous 36-week training programme, covering eight core modules, including National Security, Strategy, Leadership, Military History, Operational Art, and Peace Support Operations.
He assured participants that the curriculum is on par with leading war colleges worldwide, designed to address contemporary security threats effectively. The Commandant urged participants to embrace critical thinking, challenge conventional wisdom, and develop innovative security strategies.
He stressed the importance of inter-agency collaboration, noting that modern military operations require synergy between security agencies to succeed. He also called on AWCN's faculty and staff to uphold and enhance the institution's academic excellence, ensuring it remains Nigeria's premier professional military education institution.
The delivery of the course package is supported by international partners who continue to add value to the training in the college. Consequently, the college continues to benefit from the patent national. With the United States Army War College, the Office of Security Cooperation, and the British Military Advisory and Training Team, who will continue to facilitate faculty development of shops and training of participants in strategic leadership, military history, and operational planning packages.
In completion, the Army War College Nigeria remains the premier educational institution that conducts professional military education for officers, plus attending the course represents a culmination of formal education in the Nigerian Army. At the end of the course, it is expected that the participants will be equipped for responsibilities in future operational leadership positions. In addition, capacities will have been built for the efficient development and employment of one power in the complex, joint multinational and interagency environment.
Also the Deputy Commandant, AWCN L, Brigadier General said the central academic focus is on military strategic leadership, operational art and campaign planning. To achieve this, apart from the detailed campaign planning skills that will be taught in the college, the participants will also be exposed to the dynamics of Nigeria's regional and global security environment and the realities of today's operational challenges. Thus, at the peak of the operational training, the participants will tour selected operational theaters, engage with commanders, approve the environmental threats as well as analyze current operational plans.
In addition, the participants of course 9 will join the counterparts from the novel and held work colleges, as well as the National Defense College to conduct a joint operations planning exercise under the guidance of the defense headquarters.
Other problematic areas to be studied during the course include foundational studies with emphasis on critical and creative team leadership training and the focus on national security and organization of defense. Furthermore, the participants will be exposed to material-wide strategy, military history, anti-agency operational conditions as well as peace-of-our operations.
This is both at the strategic and professional levels. The course curriculum will be implemented in a modular structure divided into eight distinct modules to be delivered over three times, which each module is designed to accomplish specific learning objectives. It is believed that the rich curriculum of the course will enhance the capacity of the participants to fill the gap between the tactical and strategic levels as well as equipment applied themselves in the field.
This deep conviction is constantly reinforced by the costly feedback the college has been receiving from the services, commissions, and security agencies on the performance of fellows of the college. The annual college and educational practice is based on the so-cratic inquiry model of graduate study. Complex, difficult issues that are not given to one directional solutions are discussed.