The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Army to deepening strategic collaboration with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as part of a broader effort to enhance national security capacity through knowledge-driven solutions.

The COAS made this known on Tuesday, 21 April 2026, during a courtesy visit by the Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Udoma Oji Udoma at the Army Headquarters, emphasizing the critical role of education in addressing evolving and asymmetric security threats.

Lieutenant General Shaibu highlighted the imperative of integrating advanced studies in intelligence, cyber security, and strategic leadership into military training frameworks, noting that modern warfare increasingly requires intellectual superiority alongside kinetic capabilities.

He described NOUN’s innovative and technology-driven learning model as a strategic asset capable of supporting the Nigerian Army’s transformation agenda in an era defined by complex security dynamics.

The COAS further highlighted the renewed resolve of the Army to institutionalize partnerships that will build a corps of intellectually agile and professionally competent personnel capable of countering emerging threats across all domains.

He stressed that such collaboration aligns with the Nigerian Army’s long-term vision of strengthening national resilience and safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Udoma Oji Udoma, called for enhanced collaboration with the Nigerian Army University Biu and proposed the establishment of additional study centres within military barracks nationwide to expand access to flexible education for personnel.

He commended the Nigerian Army for its unwavering efforts in maintaining national security and pledged the University’s continued support in developing intellectually sound and mission-ready soldiers.