By Dalena Reporters — Abuja, Nigeria — 13 November 2025
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday received the report of Course 33 graduates of the National Defence College (NDC), pledging to give due consideration to their strategic recommendations on national security.
Addressing participants during the presentation at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu commended the college for nurturing future strategic leaders equipped with knowledge and analytical skills to address Nigeria’s evolving defence and security challenges. “We must continue to develop Nigeria. It is our responsibility to provide answers to all the points you raised,” he said.
“The strategic path to industrialisation as enumerated in your presentation will receive diligent attention and critical review for implementation,” the President added.
He urged the participants to remain inquisitive, innovative, and patriotic in their service to the nation. “It is our joint responsibility to ensure that this nation is productive, governed inclusively, and securing a future for generations yet unborn. We must train our people, develop our economy, promote industrial growth, and protect our sovereignty,” he said.
Tinubu further assured the college of his administration’s commitment to addressing its infrastructural needs, particularly the completion of its permanent site along the Abuja Airport Road. “We will look into your request on the permanent site. Be patient, continue to work hard, and share knowledge with those coming after you. This is the only nation we have, and we must build it together,” he added.
Earlier, the Commandant of the NDC, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, stated that Course 33 comprised 99 participants, including 25 officers from the Army, 16 from the Navy, 12 from the Air Force, five from the Police, and 18 from various ministries, departments, and agencies. There were also 23 international participants from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, India, Nepal, and Brazil.
The course theme—“Strengthening Institutions for National Security and Development in Nigeria”—and the research focus—“Harnessing Indigenous Manufacturing for Enhanced National Security and Development: Strategic Options for Nigeria by 2040”—aligned closely with the President’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, the Commandant said.
Since its establishment in 1992, the NDC has graduated 3,079 participants, including senior officers from the armed forces, police, key government institutions, and international fellows from Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America. Rear Admiral Ahmed appealed for presidential intervention to complete the college’s permanent site—describing it as a strategic national project that has remained unfinished since 2010.
The ceremony underscored the administration’s intent to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by investing in human capital and institutional infrastructure. Analysts view the event as an affirmation of the government’s emphasis on combining defence strategy with industrial and economic policy. Tinubu’s remarks signal an expectation that the college's research will translate into actionable policy in sectors such as manufacturing, defence logistics, and strategic planning.
As Nigeria continues to face multi-dimensional security threats—from insurgency, maritime militancy, kidnapping and oil theft—the government's call for strategic leadership training underscores an understanding that security must integrate both military might and industrial resilience.
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