By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, says lessons from the Nigerian Civil War drive the nation’s push for homegrown defence technology, warning future wars need local innovation, not imported weapons

Shaibu said this at the 7th Nigerian Civil War Symposium organised by the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) for participants of Course 10/2026, on Monday in Abuja.

The COAS, who was represented at the event by Maj.-Gen. Victor Emah, Deputy Director-General, Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC), renewed calls for stronger investment in indigenous defence.

According to him, lessons from the Civil War continues to expose the strategic importance of self-reliance, adaptability and innovation in military operations.

The army chief said battlefield success was not determined solely by access to advanced weapons but by the ability of troops to innovate under pressure.

He noted that in spite of the severe technological and logistical constraints during the civil war, both sides deployed locally fabricated solutions and adaptive strategies to sustain operations.

“Operational success is not just about the weapon, but the man behind it and his ability to adapt and improvise.

“Such lessons remain critical as Nigeria confronts evolving threats including terrorism, insurgency and banditry,” he said.

The army chief said the Nigerian Army was prioritising research, development and collaboration with local institutions to build a sustainable defence innovation base.

He added that the drive aligned with his command philosophy of transforming the army into a more professional, adaptive and combat-ready force.

Earlier, the Commandant of AWCN, Maj.-Gen. Umar Alkali, said the symposium was deliberately designed to draw strategic lessons from history to address present-day security challenges.

Quoting former Defence Minister, retired Lt.-Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, Alkali emphasised the need to study the civil war to avoid repeating past mistakes and to strengthen national unity.

“The Nigerian Civil War must be studied so that the mistakes of the past are not repeated,” he said.

Alkali said the theme of the symposium, which focused on indigenous technological innovation during the war, highlighted the role of creativity and local solutions in warfare.

He referenced innovations such as the locally developed “Ogbunigwe” weapons as examples of how necessity drove battlefield ingenuity.

According to him, understanding such historical experiences enhances the military’s ability to develop practical responses to contemporary threats.

He urged participants to actively engage in discussions and translate lessons from the symposium into actionable strategies for future operations.

The symposium brought together military officers, scholars and security experts to examine how Nigeria can leverage indigenous capacity to strengthen its defence architecture.

The paper titled, “Indigenous Technological Innovations in the Nigerian Civil War: Lessons for Contemporary Military Operations” was delivered by the Vice Chancellor, Admiralty University of Nigeria, Prof. Christopher Ogbogbo.

Participants stressed the need for sustained investment in local research and innovation to reduce reliance on foreign military technology.

The event ended with a renewed commitment to integrating historical lessons into modern military planning and operations. (NAN)