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 was 202 participants in 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. Isah Abdullahi, stressed that empowering youth strengthened families, communities, and the nation in general.
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 graduands, Shaibu said they had acquired relevant, practical, and market-driven skills, offering them opportunities to be self-reliant, productive, and innovative.
“Use your knowledge and skills not only to improve your own lives but also to uplift others around you.
“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 confidence and competence of the graduands.
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 enhancing personnel welfare and contributing to peace, stability, and development.
“We will continue to support programmes that empower our youth not through force, but through knowledge, skills and opportunity.
“This is because a resilient society remains a critical enabler of a resilient fighting force.”
The ceremony concluded with Shaibu congratulating the graduands and wishing them success in their future endeavors.
The event demonstrated the Army’s belief in the potential of young people to drive change and innovation.
The graduands were urged to use their skills to improve their lives and uplift others, aligning with the nation’s aspiration for peace and security.
Speaking the President of NAOWA, Mrs Safiyyah Shaibu said that “the NAOWA Youth Empowerment Project is more than a training programme, it is a strategic investment in the lives and future of our youth.
“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.
“The ripple effect strengthens families, communities and our nation at large,” she said
