From Hadin Kai to Abuja: Meet Nigeria’s New Army Chief; Major General Waidi Shaibu

The soldier, officer and warfare expert, Waidi Shaibu, who is now Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, was born on Saturday, December 18, 1971 in the Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He joined the military via the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as part of the 41st Regular Course, gaining admission in 1989. He was commissioned into the Nigerian Army’s Armoured Corps on 17 September 1994 as a Second Lieutenant.

Shaibu, noted for a strong academic background alongside his military career, obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Nigerian Defence Academy (1993), Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management & Public Administration (GIMPA), Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Calabar, another Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan, and yet another Master’s Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the National Defence University (Washington, D.C., USA).

An alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School programme “Leadership for the 21st Century: Chaos, Conflict & Courage”, the two star general is reportedly pursuing a doctoral degree (PhD) in Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan. This combined knowledge base in Engineering, Public Administration, and Strategic and Security Studies gives him both technical and strategic grounding.

For military training and professional development, Major General Waidi Shaibu, in addition to his academic training, has undergone extensive military and operational courses, including: Young Officers Course, Armour – Nigerian Army Armour School, Bauchi (1995), Young Officers Course, Infantry – Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji (1996), Amphibious Operations Course – Amphibious Training School, Calabar (1997), Platoon Commanders Course, Communication Instructors Course – Armour School Bauchi (1998), and Junior Staff Course – Ghana, etc.

He has also attended other advanced courses including: Defence Resources Management Course (Kenya), Higher Defence Management Course (NDC, Abuja), Counter Terrorism Fellows Programme (USA) etc.

These have deepened his professional military development and exposure to different operational environments. In furtherance of these Maj. Gen. Shaibu has held multiple command and staff appointments, and participated in both domestic operations and international peacekeeping.

Some of his key roles include serving in major operations including Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in North-East Nigeria where he was the Theatre Commander, overseeing operations in the insurgency-challenged North-East. He has also served as General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and also Commander of Sector 1 in OPHK. He commanded the 21 Special Armoured Brigade, Bama. He served as Chief Instructor, Nigerian Army Armour School; Director of Training, Army Headquarters, among other appointments.

The field experience and operational command of the new Army Chief are not localized as he had also participated in peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sudan. Some of his operational achievements during the OPHK tenure reportedly include: recovering weapons and ammunition, rescuing civilians, disrupting insurgent networks.

Given his antecedents, the Friday, October 24, 2025 announcement by the President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of approving sweeping changes in the nation’s military leadership, and Major General Waidi Shaibu’s appointment as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Nigerian Army received massive commendations, even in his home state, Kogi, where it was deemed as a recognition of merit and fairness.

With the nation reeling under the heavy burden of insecurity, expectations are high that his background, which combines armoured corps experience, counter-insurgency operations, high-level education, and strategic thinking, seen across the spectrum of stakeholders as aligning with Nigeria’s current security challenges – insurgency, banditry, terrorism – and the need for reform and modernization, will deliver the needed solutions.

From his profile and reporting, his notable attributes include: Intellectual depth – his advanced academic credentials suggest a willingness to engage with strategy and not just tactics. Operational credentials – hands-on experience in high-threat theatres (North East) and armoured warfare. Reform orientation – his profile highlights an interest in training, research, innovation, and civil-military cooperation (especially in counter-insurgency contexts). And Regional representation – being from Kogi State adds to the diversity of senior military leadership and has symbolic importance.

The Challenges he would face and suggested areas of focus, especially given the context of his appointment, include: The persistent insurgency in North Eastern Nigeria, the evolving threat of banditry and kidnapping, and other asymmetric threats, and the need for effective coordination between the Army and other services/security agencies, improving intelligence, logistics, training, morale, and welfare of troops.

These also include modernizing the Nigerian Army’s structure, doctrine, equipment, and readiness to respond to non-traditional threats, as well as balancing the operational demands (counter-terror operations) with training, professional development and institutional reforms.

His appointment is expected to signal a push towards “enhanced combat readiness and institutional reform” of the Nigerian Army. There is hope that his leadership will improve civil-military relations, deepen community engagement in troubled regions, and reflect a more research-driven approach to military operations.

Major General Waidi Shaibu emerges as one of the Nigerian Army’s senior officers who combines solid academic credentials with relevant operational experience in Nigeria’s security hotspots. His rise to Chief of Army Staff comes at a critical time when the Nigerian Army is tasked with managing complex internal security challenges and requires adaptive leadership.

His track record suggests that he is well placed to attempt reforms in training, doctrine, and operational effectiveness—but the true measure will be how the Army evolves under his leadership and how the security situation improves under his watch.