The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has graduated 441 cadets and 3,066 postgraduate students, reinforcing its role in developing military professionals and advancing research and innovation to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
At its 36th Convocation Ceremony in Kaduna on Thursday, Vice-President Kashim Shettima commended the academy for producing highly trained military officers equipped to respond to emerging security threats.
Shettima, who was represented by the Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, said the Federal Government remained proud of the academy’s contributions to developing officers with global professional standards for the Nigerian Armed Forces and friendly African countries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony featured the graduation of cadets of the 73 Regular Course, postgraduate students and the conferment of honorary degrees on deserving personalities.
The vice-president said the graduating officers had continued to uphold Nigeria’s sovereignty despite the multifaceted security threats confronting the country.
He described the academy’s transition to a degree-awarding institution in 1985 as a landmark decision that had strengthened the intellectual and professional capacity of military officers.
According to him, the expansion of academic faculties, research activities, postgraduate programmes and technology-based military training had enhanced the academy’s capacity to respond to contemporary warfare.
Shettima highlighted the academy’s contributions to military research and innovation, particularly in precision-guided munitions, remotely operated weapon systems and multipurpose guided mobile robots.
He said such innovations would complement the Federal Government’s whole-of-society approach to tackling security threats while improving the safety and effectiveness of military personnel.
Beyond military education, the vice-president highlighted the administration’s broader education reforms, including the National Education Loan Fund (NELFund), which he said had disbursed more than N116 billion in tuition and stipends to hundreds of thousands of students across tertiary institutions.
He added that the government was reforming basic education to reduce subject overload and dropout rates while equipping learners with digital, entrepreneurial and livelihood skills.
Addressing the graduating cadets, Shettima urged them to apply the knowledge and skills acquired at the academy with professionalism, loyalty, courage and respect for the laws of the land.
He also charged postgraduate students to deploy their expertise and research to generate innovative ideas and practical solutions to Nigeria’s development and security challenges.
NDA strengthens technology-driven military education
Earlier, the NDA Commandant, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, reaffirmed the academy’s commitment to producing well-rounded officers through the integration of military professionalism, academic excellence and sound character.
Olatoye said the academy had continued to align its academic and military training programmes with global best practices and the evolving demands of contemporary military operations.
He explained that training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Space Technology and other critical fields had been strengthened to prepare cadets for increasingly technology-driven military operations.
According to him, military training had also been enhanced through artificial intelligence-enabled learning tools, simulation technologies, cyber warfare concepts, intelligence analysis and counter-terrorism studies.
The commandant said cadets had benefited from practical exposure to modern military platforms, including armoured fighting vehicles, artillery systems, aviation assets, naval platforms and advanced simulation facilities.
He added that the academy’s international exchange programmes had continued to enhance professional exposure, interoperability and defence cooperation with friendly countries.
441 cadets earn bachelor’s degrees
Providing a breakdown of the graduating cadets, Olatoye disclosed that 441 cadets, including one allied cadet from the Republic of Congo, were graduating with bachelor’s degrees.
He said 150 graduates were from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, 53 from Engineering and Technology, 127 from Science, 55 from Military Science and Interdisciplinary Studies, and 56 from Management Sciences.
The commandant also announced that 3,066 postgraduate students would graduate with various postgraduate diplomas and higher degrees.
The postgraduate graduates comprised 160 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) holders, 158 Master of Philosophy (MPhil) graduates, 449 academic master’s graduates, 1,520 professional master’s graduates and 779 postgraduate diploma recipients.
The figures underscore the academy’s expanding role in postgraduate education, research and professional development alongside its core responsibility of training military officers.
Commandant charges graduates on integrity
Olatoye commended the Federal Government, military authorities, academic and civilian staff, partner institutions and the Kaduna State Government for their support to the academy.
He urged the graduates to uphold the values of honour, courage, competence, loyalty and integrity as they proceed to serve Nigeria and humanity.
The commandant reaffirmed the academy’s commitment to innovation and excellence in leadership development and professional military education.
As the graduates move into military service and other professional responsibilities, the academy’s emphasis on academic excellence, technological innovation and character development remains central to its mission of preparing officers and professionals for the demands of a changing security environment.
