The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Lagos, to enhance personnel welfare and prepare troops for life after service.
Shaibu gave the assurance during a high-level meeting with the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
He stressed the need to address operational challenges hindering effective skills acquisition and post-service transition, noting that welfare support must extend beyond active duty to guarantee long-term stability and productivity for personnel.
The Army Chief congratulated Ilo on his appointment and underscored the critical role of NAFRC in equipping military personnel with vocational, technical and professional skills needed for economic self-reliance after retirement.
He added that structured resettlement programmes remain central to the Army’s evolving welfare framework.
Shaibu commended the Centre’s diverse training initiatives, describing them as essential to ensuring a smooth and dignified transition from military to civilian life.
He also acknowledged the leadership responsibility involved in managing the welfare and development of large numbers of personnel undergoing training.
Reiterating the Army’s commitment to institutional capacity building and sustained welfare reforms, the COAS highlighted the importance of effective post-training placement mechanisms.
He urged NAFRC to deepen partnerships, improve data management systems and adopt human-resource-driven strategies to support seamless reintegration and long-term employability.
In his remarks, Ilo expressed appreciation for the continued collaboration between the Nigerian Army and NAFRC, particularly the COAS’s personal support for the Centre’s mandate.
He disclosed that a significant number of Army personnel are currently participating in various training programmes at the Centre.
The Commandant assured the Army Chief of NAFRC’s continued loyalty and pledged to implement directives aimed at improving personnel welfare and resettlement outcomes.
The meeting underscored the Nigerian Army’s renewed focus on comprehensive welfare policies that prioritise both active service and post-retirement empowerment.
