By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Nigerian Army has announced plans to recruit at least 13,000 new personnel before the end of 2025, despite limited resources to cater for the fresh intakes.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede, disclosed this on Thursday at the Army Headquarters in Abuja while receiving members of the Senate Committee on Army on an oversight visit.
Oluyede said, “As we speak, the army is still challenged in terms of operational efficiency. This year alone, we are expecting about 13,000 new personnel, but there are no corresponding resources to provide accommodation for them. We still have soldiers not being accommodated, and that number will continue to grow.”
He appealed for improved funding to address the growing demands of operational efficiency and personnel welfare.
The army chief urged the Senate to consider creating special funding provisions outside the envelope budgeting system, stressing, “We are not only looking at maybe insecurity within, but what if someday we are challenged from outside. So I want to pray that, please look at that, and at the same time, look at how we can get special funds for us to provide accommodation for our soldiers. It’s very critical.”
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, acknowledged the challenges and pledged support for increased budgetary allocations.
According to Yar’Adua, “The Nigerian Army and Armed Forces should be taken out of the envelope budgeting system, so they have more funds to carry out their mandate. We’ve seen the need during our oversight visits.”
He revealed that the committee had split into groups to inspect Army formations in Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Lagos States, noting that while most projects were progressing well, some concerns had been reported to the Army leadership.
“We want to assure the Chief of Army Staff of our continued support and collaboration with the executive to ensure the Army is adequately funded,” Yar’Adua added.
He disclosed that another round of oversight would be conducted before the end of the year to monitor implementation of the 2025 Appropriations Act.