The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has appealed for increased funding for the Nigerian Army, stressing the need to meet growing demands in operations and personnel welfare.
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The call was made during a visit by the Senate Committee on Army to the Army Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday. Oluyede noted that the current envelope budgeting system is no longer adequate to support the Army’s responsibilities, especially with an expected intake of 13,000 new recruits this year.
He highlighted the challenges of operational efficiency and the lack of sufficient accommodation for soldiers, warning that the problem could worsen without additional support. He urged lawmakers to explore the creation of a special funding mechanism for the Army to enhance its combat readiness and address pressing welfare concerns.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, acknowledged the funding constraints and expressed the committee’s willingness to advocate for more financial support. He said the current budgeting model should be reviewed to allow the military access to more flexible and realistic funding options.
Yar’Adua also disclosed that the committee had visited military formations in Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Lagos as part of its oversight responsibilities. While many projects were reported to be progressing well, a few challenges were identified and brought to the attention of Army leadership.
He assured the Chief of Army Staff of continued legislative backing and confirmed that another round of oversight would take place later in the year to monitor the implementation of the 2025 budget.
