The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed that robust logistics training and efficient sustainment capabilities remain fundamental to operational success and national security.
A statement signed by Colonel Appolonia Anele acting Director army public relations said he emphasized that no military operation can achieve decisive results without well-trained logistics personnel capable of providing timely, coordinated and sustainable support to troops across all theatres of operation.
The COAS made the remarks on Friday, 17 July 2026, during the graduation ceremony of participants of the Logistics Staff Officers Course and the Junior Leadership Logistics Staff Officers Course at the Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management (NACOLM), Lagos. He noted that the dynamic nature of contemporary security threats requires logistics officers who are professionally trained, innovative and adaptable to effectively sustain operations within joint and multi-agency environments.
Lieutenant General Shaibu stated that logistics is not merely a support function but a strategic enabler that must be integrated into operational planning from inception. According to him, effective logistics planning enhances combat power, mobility, force sustainment, equipment serviceability, medical support and resource optimization, all of which are indispensable to achieving mission success. He observed that the Nigerian Army’s ongoing operations against terrorists, insurgents, kidnappers, bandits, and other criminal elements continue to underscore the critical role of sound logistics planning and professional competence in sustaining operational momentum and delivering decisive outcomes.
Addressing the graduating officers, the COAS urged them to apply the knowledge, leadership skills and professional competencies acquired during the courses to strengthen logistics planning and operational sustainment in their respective formations and units. He reminded them that an army’s combat effectiveness is directly linked to the quality of its logistics support, stressing that “an Army that fails to plan its logistics has already failed in its mission.”
Lieutenant General Shaibu further charged the officers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, innovation and accountability in managing military resources, noting that efficient logistics not only sustains operational tempo but also enhances troop welfare, boosts morale, preserves combat capability and ultimately contributes to mission success and the attainment of national security objectives.
The COAS commended the Commandant, directing staff and instructors of the College for maintaining high training standards and producing competent logistics professionals capable of meeting the demands of modern warfare. He reaffirmed the commitment of Army Headquarters to strengthening institutional capacity through sustained investments in professional military education, infrastructure, technology and logistics capabilities in line with his Command Philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptive, combat-ready and resilient force.
Earlier, the Commandant, Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management, Major General Adewale Adetoba, disclosed that the College had reviewed its curriculum to reflect the realities of contemporary warfare and the requirements of joint and multi-agency operations. He expressed confidence that the graduating officers were adequately equipped with the requisite knowledge and practical skills to enhance operational planning, logistics support and force sustainment in ongoing military operations, thereby contributing significantly to the Nigerian Army’s operational effectiveness in safeguarding the nation’s peace, security, and territorial integrity.
