By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has identified home ownership and prudent financial planning as critical to the welfare of Nigerian Army personnel and their financial security after retirement.
Shaibu stated this on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, while commissioning the Nigerian Army Welfare Limited by Guarantee (NAWLG) Luxury Estate in Yaba, Lagos, describing the project as a strategic investment initiative designed to promote sustainable home ownership and improve the long-term welfare of serving and retired personnel.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS said the estate represented a forward-looking investment model that combines quality housing with financial security for military personnel and civilian investors.
He explained that the peculiar demands of military service, including frequent postings and operational deployments, often limit personnel’s opportunities to establish permanent family residences, making the transition to retirement challenging without adequate accommodation.
The Army Chief therefore commended officers who had invested in the estate and urged other personnel to embrace prudent financial planning and prepare early for life after service.
He stressed that home ownership would provide stability and independence from service-related privileges after retirement.
Shaibu also highlighted the estate’s mixed-ownership structure, which accommodates military and civilian subscribers, explaining that the project was designed to create a modern, socially integrated and commercially sustainable community rather than another military barracks.
According to him, the arrangement would enable retiring personnel to integrate more easily into civilian society, build relationships beyond the regimented military environment and strengthen civil-military relations through everyday interactions and shared responsibilities.
The COAS noted that the project aligned with his Command Philosophy, particularly the pillar of Sound Administration, and complemented his Soldier First Concept, which links personnel welfare and motivation to institutional effectiveness.
While reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s commitment to providing accommodation for serving personnel, he emphasised the importance of legitimate personal investments in securing their future.
He also charged the management of NAWLG to maintain transparency, accountability and sound financial management, while complying with relevant commercial and regulatory standards to protect subscribers’ investments.
Shaibu expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, for his strategic guidance and support to the Nigerian Army. He also commended NAWLG’s leadership, developers, consultants and investors for making the project a reality.
He congratulated the homeowners and expressed hope that the estate would provide a peaceful environment for comfortable living and harmonious coexistence.
