November 13, (THEWILL) — President Bola Tinubu has received the official report of the Course 33 graduates of the National Defence College (NDC), reaffirming his administration’s commitment to strengthening national security institutions and promoting indigenous solutions for sustainable development.
The presentation, which took place on Thursday at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, was led by the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed. He introduced the 99 participants of Course 33, comprising both Nigerian and international officers, who completed their studies earlier in the year.
Rear Admiral Ahmed explained that the course participants included 25 officers from the Nigerian Army, 16 from the Navy, 12 from the Air Force, and five from the Nigerian Police Force. Eighteen participants were drawn from various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), while 23 international officers represented 20 countries across Africa, Asia, and South America.
The countries represented included Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, India, Nepal, and Brazil. The Commandant noted that this diversity reflected the NDC’s growing global reputation as a centre of strategic excellence.
He said the theme for Course 33 — “Strengthening Institutions for National Security and Development in Nigeria” — was designed to align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly his focus on economic diversification, local manufacturing, and security sector reform.
According to Rear Admiral Ahmed, the participants’ research project titled “Harnessing Indigenous Manufacturing for Enhanced National Security and Development: Strategic Options for Nigeria by 2040” explored pathways for the country to reduce dependence on foreign defence imports and build a self-sustaining security-industrial base.
He added that although the participants concluded their academic programme in August 2025, the tradition of the college required them to reconvene to formally present their research findings and policy recommendations to the Commander-in-Chief.
Providing background on the institution, the Commandant recalled that the National Defence College was established in 1992, initially as the National War College, and has since evolved into Nigeria’s highest centre for strategic military education and leadership training.
He explained that the college’s mandate extends beyond military training, encompassing the preparation of senior officers from the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police, and key MDAs for higher responsibilities in policy formulation and national security management.
Rear Admiral Ahmed further disclosed that the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies within the NDC also serves as the ECOWAS Training Centre of Excellence for Peace Support Operations at the strategic level. This, he said, underscores Nigeria’s regional leadership in peacekeeping and conflict management.
“So far, the college has graduated 3,079 participants, including senior officers from Nigeria’s Armed Forces, Police, and strategic government institutions, as well as international participants from Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America”, the Commandant stated proudly.
He, however, appealed for Presidential intervention in completing the NDC’s permanent site located along the Abuja Airport Road. The project, he said, has remained incomplete since 2010, forcing the college to continue operating from its temporary premises in the Central Business District.
“The completion of this permanent site will greatly enhance learning conditions and allow participants to dedicate more time to study and professional development”, he told the President, describing the project as a “strategic national institution of immense importance.”
Rear Admiral Ahmed assured President Tinubu that the college would continue to produce policy-relevant research on emerging security challenges, offering evidence-based recommendations to aid national planning and strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture.
President Tinubu, in response, commended the graduating officers and the college leadership for their contributions to national discourse on security and development. He reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to invest in defence education, indigenous innovation, and institutional capacity-building as part of his broader vision for a secure and prosperous Nigeria.
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