The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Monday, 6 July 2026, led the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), alongside 16 Chiefs of Army from across Africa, on a tour of the Research and Development (R&D) Exhibition during the Grand Finale of the 163rd Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2026 at Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The exhibition, one of the flagship events of the celebration, highlighted cutting-edge indigenous military innovations, technological advancements and force-support solutions aimed at enhancing the Nigerian Army’s operational effectiveness and self-reliance.
The exhibition underscored the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to leveraging research, innovation and technology as strategic enablers for addressing contemporary security challenges. It also provided an avenue for interaction among military leaders, defence researchers, indigenous manufacturers and strategic partners, reinforcing collaboration in developing capabilities required to counter terrorism, insurgency, transnational crime and other emerging threats confronting the nation and the African continent. The presence of the African Army Chiefs further reflected a shared resolve to deepen defence cooperation, knowledge exchange and collective security across the region.
Held under the theme, “Protecting the People, Serving the Nation: A Way Forward for the Nigerian Army,” the R&D Exhibition demonstrated that innovation remains central to building a modern, agile and mission-ready Army capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty while contributing meaningfully to regional peace and stability. The event reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s strategic focus on indigenous capacity development, technological advancement and stronger defence partnerships as essential pillars for achieving enduring national and regional security objectives.
