By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Army has commenced the second phase of its 2025 Physical Efficiency Test (PET), an annual exercise designed to assess the fitness and operational readiness of its personnel across formations, units, and departments nationwide.
The physically intensive programme, which kicked off on Monday, August 4, 2025, is being held at the Mogadishu Cantonment in Asokoro, Abuja. The exercise is structured in two distinct phases, each aimed at reinforcing the Army’s emphasis on physical strength, endurance, and mental resilience.
Phase One, scheduled to run from August 4 to 14, comprises a 3.2-kilometre endurance race, push-up drills, sit-up drills, and beam heaving exercises. These components are carefully selected to evaluate the cardiovascular endurance, core stability, upper body strength, and agility of personnel across all ranks. Phase Two, slated for August 15, will culminate in a 15-kilometre endurance trek intended to test the physical and psychological limits of troops under simulated operational conditions.
According to military authorities, the exercise begins daily at 0600hrs and is conducted under strict supervision to ensure discipline, objectivity, and fairness in the assessment process.
Present at the exercise venue was the Commander of the Army Headquarters Garrison, Major General Maxwell Dangana, who reaffirmed the Army’s unwavering commitment to high standards of discipline and combat preparedness. He emphasized that the PET remains a vital benchmark in sustaining the Nigerian Army’s operational competence and physical conditioning.
“The Physical Efficiency Test is not just a routine fitness assessment; it is a reaffirmation of our core values, resilience, excellence, and readiness to defend the nation under any circumstance,” Major General Dangana stated.
The PET continues to serve as a key component of the Nigerian Army’s institutional training calendar, ensuring that its personnel remain fit, agile, and capable of responding to Nigeria’s dynamic security challenges.
