One-Year Anniversary Tribute to Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army

Today marks one year since Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu assumed office as the 25th Chief of Army Staff on 30 October 2025. In this short but transformative period, he has steered the Nigerian Army with clarity of purpose, professional vigour, and a soldier-centred vision that is already yielding measurable institutional reforms and tangible security gains across the country.

Strategic Reforms and Institutional Transformation

Upon assumption of command, Lt Gen Shaibu articulated a clear command philosophy built on five mutually reinforcing pillars known as PROSE:

Professional Excellence, Robust Administration, Operational Readiness, Strategic Cooperation, and Exemplary Leadership. At the heart of this philosophy sits an uncompromising Soldier-First culture that prioritises the welfare, training, dignity, morale, and empowerment of troops as the foundation of combat effectiveness.

This doctrine—now widely referred to as the *Shaibu Doctrine* and examined in the forthcoming book *The Shaibu Doctrine: Mission Command and the Remaking of Nigeria’s Army at War*—has driven a decisive shift from predominantly static defence postures toward more agile, mobile, and offensive operations. Mission Command principles have been emphasised, empowering subordinate commanders with clear intent while granting them the initiative to adapt to fluid battlefield conditions. The result is a more responsive, decentralised, and adaptive force.

Key structural reforms include the historic expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside the recruitment of approximately 28,000 additional personnel. New formations and units have been established or operationalised to improve territorial coverage, reduce response times, and strengthen command-and-control, particularly in the North-West and other high-threat areas. Parallel investments in technology—drones, unmanned aerial systems, improved intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, Army Aviation assets, and multi-domain integration—have begun to modernise the force for contemporary threats spanning land, air, cyber, and information domains.

Troop welfare has received sustained attention: better accommodation, medical support (including new helipad facilities for casualty evacuation), timely rotations, modern combat equipment, and logistics improvements have all featured prominently in his agenda.

Visible Security Gains

Under Lt Gen Shaibu’s leadership, the Army has sustained offensive pressure against Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits, and other criminal networks. Kinetic and non-kinetic operations have neutralised high-value targets, dismantled camps, recovered significant quantities of arms and ammunition, and facilitated the rescue of thousands of civilians. Operations in the North-East (Operation Hadin Kai) and North-West (including Operation Fansan Yamma) have recorded notable successes in degrading terrorist and bandit capabilities, restoring relative stability in previously contested areas, and enabling the return of communities to productive life.

These operational outcomes rest on stronger inter-agency collaboration, improved intelligence sharing, and a renewed emphasis on professionalism, discipline, and adherence to the rule of law—elements repeatedly stressed by the Chief of Army Staff in his engagements with troops and senior commanders.

A Leadership Defined by Purpose

Drawing on extensive operational experience—including service as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, General Officer Commanding 7 Division, and earlier command appointments in the North-East—Lt Gen Shaibu has brought both battlefield credibility and intellectual depth to the highest levels of Army leadership. His approach combines strategic foresight with genuine concern for the men and women who bear the brunt of Nigeria’s security challenges.

As the Nigerian Army marks this first anniversary of his command, the progress is evident: a larger, better-structured, more technologically aware, and soldier-focused force; a doctrinal pivot toward initiative and offensive action; and concrete gains against the threats that have long challenged national security.

The journey of transformation continues. Yet the foundation laid in this first year—professional excellence, robust administration, operational readiness, strategic cooperation, and exemplary leadership—offers a clear pathway toward a more resilient and combat-ready Nigerian Army capable of safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and enabling lasting peace and development.

Congratulations, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on a remarkable first year as Chief of Army Staff.

The nation acknowledges the dedication of the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army under your command. May the coming years consolidate these gains for the greater security and prosperity of Nigeria.

• Courtesy: Spitze Construction Limited