Nigerian Army has commissioned a new Wargaming Centre at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), Asokoro, Abuja, in a move aimed at strengthening military planning and preparing commanders for the country’s evolving security challenges.
The facility was unveiled on Thursday by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who described it as a major investment in the Army’s training and operational capacity.
Speaking during the ceremony, Shaibu said today’s security environment demands commanders who can think beyond the battlefield and make sound decisions in complex situations.
The COAS in a statement by the Army’s spokesperson, Colonel Appolonia Anele, noted that wargaming has become an important tool in modern military operations, helping commanders analyse threats, test response options and assess possible outcomes before real-life situations unfold.
According to him, the new centre will serve as a hub for strategic planning, operational analysis and joint military exercises, providing officers with opportunities to tackle realistic security scenarios in a controlled environment.
The Army chief also acknowledged the efforts of past military leaders whose support helped bring the project to completion. He praised the leadership of the Army War College for seeking advanced training and expertise in wargaming through engagements with allied military institutions even before the facility became operational.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, Major General Umar Alkali, thanked the Chief of Army Staff for supporting the completion and equipping of the centre with modern facilities.
Alkali said the centre would provide a realistic setting where officers can test campaign plans, evaluate force deployment concepts, explore alternative courses of action and assess the likely consequences of strategic decisions through both manual and computer-assisted exercises.
He added that the facility would also strengthen cooperation among the services by bringing together land, maritime, air, cyber and information operations in joint training scenarios.
Beyond training, he said the centre would support doctrine development, operational research, concept testing and strategic-level studies.
The newly commissioned complex houses two large wargaming halls, four exercise rooms, three theatre laboratories, ten syndicate rooms, a conference room, a library, a digital server room and other supporting facilities.
The Army said the centre will improve the Army’s ability to anticipate future threats, sharpen operational planning and support national security efforts.
