The Nigerian Army on Thursday unveiled a state-of-the-art Wargaming Centre at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), Asokoro, Abuja, in a move aimed at strengthening strategic planning, operational analysis and decision-making amid evolving security challenges.
Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu said the facility is “a major investment in professional military education and institutional capacity development” and stressed that modern security threats require commanders who are intellectually agile as well as courageous. He noted that wargaming is essential for anticipating threats, testing options and shaping effective responses before crises occur.
The centre, the COAS said, will act as a hub for operational experimentation, joint planning and innovative solutions to national security problems. He also paid tribute to predecessors and to AWCN faculty who pursued advanced wargaming expertise with allied militaries ahead of the facility’s completion.
In his welcome address, AWCN Commandant Maj.-Gen. Umar Alkali thanked the COAS for his support in equipping the centre and described it as “a realistic and intellectually stimulating environment” where participants can test campaign plans, evaluate force-employment concepts and explore alternative courses of action using both manual and computer-assisted wargames.
The Commandant said the centre will promote integration of land, maritime, air, cyber and information domains into joint operational scenarios, thereby enhancing interoperability across the Armed Forces. Beyond training, the facility is intended to support doctrine development, concept validation, operational research and strategic-level analysis.
The newly commissioned complex includes two large wargaming halls, four exercise rooms, three theatre laboratories, ten syndicate rooms, a conference room, a library, a digital server room and other support infrastructure.
Army officials said the Wargaming Centre is expected to significantly improve the service’s ability to anticipate future threats, develop response options and contribute to Nigeria’s national security objectives.
Appolonia Anele
Colonel, Acting Director Army Public Relations
