The Nigerian Army has commissioned a state-of-the-art Wargaming Centre at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), Asokoro, Abuja, to strengthen strategic planning, operational analysis, and decision-making in tackling Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The facility was inaugurated on Thursday by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who described it as a major investment in professional military education and institutional capacity development.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Lt.-Gen. Shaibu said the new centre reflects the Nigerian Army’s commitment to building a highly professional, adaptive and combat-ready force capable of effectively supporting the country’s national security and defence objectives.
“The increasingly complex and dynamic security environment demands commanders who are not only courageous on the battlefield but also intellectually agile, strategically minded and capable of making sound decisions under pressure,” the army chief said.
He explained that wargaming remains a critical tool for developing such competencies by enabling military leaders to anticipate threats, evaluate operational options and formulate effective responses to complex security scenarios before they arise.
According to him, the Wargaming Centre will serve as a strategic hub for developing innovative solutions to national security challenges by providing a platform for rigorous analysis, operational experimentation and joint planning.
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu also acknowledged the contributions of his predecessors for laying the foundation for the project and commended the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria and members of the faculty for acquiring advanced wargaming expertise through engagements with allied military institutions even before the facility was completed.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, Major General Umar Alkali, expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff for supporting the completion and equipping of the centre with modern wargaming infrastructure.
He said the facility would provide a realistic and intellectually stimulating environment where participants can test campaign plans, evaluate force employment concepts, explore alternative courses of action and assess the implications of strategic decisions through both manual and computer-assisted wargames.
“The Centre will facilitate the integration of land, maritime, air, cyber and information domains into joint operational scenarios, thereby enhancing interoperability and jointness within the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” Alkali said.
He added that beyond training and education, the facility is designed to support doctrine development, concept validation, operational research and strategic-level analysis.
According to the commandant, the newly commissioned centre features two large wargaming halls, four exercise rooms, three theatre laboratories, 10 syndicate rooms, a conference room, a library, a digital server room and other supporting infrastructure.
The Nigerian Army said the facility is expected to strengthen its ability to anticipate future threats, develop effective response strategies, and contribute significantly to achieving Nigeria’s national security objectives. #Securitynewsalert.com
