Nigerian Army is set to recruit 13,000 new personnel before the end of 2025, but faces significant challenges due to limited resources.
Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede revealed this during a visit by the Senate Committee on Army to the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Oluyede lamented that the current funding mechanisms, particularly the envelope budgeting system, are inadequate to meet the army’s needs.
“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 stated.
The Army chief urged the committee to consider creating special funding provisions outside the envelope budgeting structure to enable the army to provide required combat support and welfare infrastructure.
“We are not only looking at insecurity within, what if someday we are challenged from outside. So, I want to pray that you 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,” he added.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, acknowledged the army’s funding constraints and reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to advocating for improved budgetary allocations.
“The Nigerian 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,” Yar’Adua said.
The committee had inspected army formations in Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Lagos states, noting progress in most projects while flagging concerns about a few.
Yar’Adua assured the Army chief of the committee’s continued support and collaboration with the executive to ensure adequate funding for the army.
The Senate Committee on Army plans to conduct another round of oversight before the end of the year to assess the implementation of the 2025 Appropriations Act.
This move aims to ensure effective use of appropriated funds and address the army’s funding challenges.
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