By Gabriel Ameh
The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, commenced a high-level strategic seminar focused on strengthening operational effectiveness through innovation, transformation and enhanced jointness in response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The seminar, themed “Optimising the AFN’s Operational Capabilities through Transformation and Innovation: Issues and Prospects,” convened senior military commanders, academics, defence analysts and subject-matter experts to explore practical strategies for reinforcing national defence within a whole-of-government framework.
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Olatubonsun Oluyede, Armed Forces Medal, underscored the need for purposeful transformation and sustained innovation amid what he described as an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous security environment.
“As the character of warfare continues to evolve and the operating environment remains volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, it is only through deliberate transformation and innovation that we can retain the operational edge required to secure our dear nation,” the CDS said.
General Oluyede described innovation as a vital enabler of operational effectiveness, noting that contemporary military operations increasingly rely on new ideas and technologies to enhance situational awareness, strengthen force protection, improve precision and accelerate decision-making.
He emphasised that all transformation initiatives must be firmly rooted in the CDS Military Strategic Philosophy, which aims to consolidate AFN capabilities through enhanced jointness, a reinforced operational posture, improved personnel welfare and sound administration, in pursuit of Nigeria’s sovereignty and prosperity.
The Defence Chief also identified key challenges confronting the AFN, including limited domestic defence production capacity, gaps in emerging technologies and funding constraints arising from competing national priorities. Despite these hurdles, he expressed optimism about the prospects for sustainable transformation, citing the commitment of personnel and the growing institutional emphasis on innovation.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Jeff Adidun Ekwuribe, who represented the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, highlighted the urgency of institutional adaptation in the face of emerging and asymmetric threats.
AVM Ekwuribe noted that as the Armed Forces operate across multiple theatres marked by increasing complexity, operational methods, systems and doctrines must evolve faster than those of adversaries. He urged participants to centre discussions on improving joint operational coordination, strengthening intelligence capabilities, modernising logistics frameworks and accelerating digital transformation across the services to achieve lasting operational effectiveness.
Also speaking, a resource person at the seminar, Professor Ehiz Odigie-Okpataku, stressed that technology alone cannot drive military efficiency without a clear strategic vision, sound doctrine and comprehensive institutional reforms. She called for the development of a long-term defence transformation strategy that embeds innovation as a core operational priority, while also advocating stronger partnerships between the military, academia, the private sector, and regional and international security institutions.
The seminar reaffirmed the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment to transformation, jointness and innovation as critical pillars for sustaining national security and operational excellence.
Samaila Uba
Major General
Director, Defence Information
December 17, 2025
