The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu has emphasised the importance of youth empowerment in driving national development and achieving peace and security.

 

Shaibu said this on Wednesday at the combined graduation ceremony for participants at the empowerment programme for some barracks youths in Abuja.

 

The graduation included 202 participants: Batch 3 Information and Communication Technology trainees and Batch 2 Fashion Design trainees of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) Youth Empowerment Project for 2025.

 

Shaibu, represented by the Chief of Administration for the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Isa Abdullahi stressed that empowering youth strengthened families, communities, and the nation as a whole.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony marked the culmination of a training programme aimed at equipping barracks youths with practical skills in ICT and fashion design.

 

According to Shaibu, by empowering youth, the Nigerian Army is contributing to a resilient society, critical to a resilient fighting force.

 

He noted that the programme was part of the Army’s efforts to build resilient families and empowered communities, supporting its transformation into a professional, adaptable, and combat-ready force.

 

Shaibu commended the President of NAOWA, Mrs Safiyyah Shaibu, and her team for sustaining the impactful initiative, saying it reflected the Army’s commitment to building resilient families and empowered communities.

 

The COAS reiterated his command philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a professional, adaptable, and combat-ready force.

 

According to him, this is achieved not just through equipment and training, but also through empowered communities.

 

To the graduates, Shaibu said they had acquired relevant, practical, and market-driven skills, offering them opportunities to be self-reliant, productive, and innovative.

 

“In doing so, you contribute to social stability, economic growth and national development.

 

“These values align strongly with our collective aspiration for a peaceful and secure Nigeria,” he said.

 

Shaibu also appreciated the instructors and facilitators, saying their dedication had helped shape the graduates’ confidence and competence.

 

He encouraged the media to highlight initiatives like this, showcasing the human face of the military and the strength of civil-military cooperation.

 

The Nigerian Army, Shaibu reaffirmed, remains committed to initiatives that enhance personnel welfare and contribute to peace, stability, and development.

 

“We will continue to support programmes that empower our youth not through force, but through knowledge, skills and opportunity.”

 

Speaking, the President of NAOWA, Mrs Safiyyah Shaibu, said the NAOWA Youth Empowerment Project is not only a training programme but also a strategic investment in the lives and future of our youth.

 

“The ripple effect strengthens families, communities and our nation at large,” she said

 

“This initiative reflects NAOWA’s steadfast commitment to empowerment and welfare. True support goes beyond temporary assistance; it builds foundations, nurtures potential and enables individuals to chart their own course.