The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to sustained infrastructural development and improved personnel welfare.
He stressed that the ongoing expansion and modernisation of the Army must be complemented by investments in the well-being of troops and their families, both during active service and after retirement.
According to a statement signed by Appolonia Anele, Colonel, Acting Director Army Public Relations, the COAS stated this on Friday, 13 November 2026, while commissioning 120 newly completed three-bedroom housing units under Phase 2 of the Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers, AHOOAS, at Idu, Abuja.
The commissioning brings the total number of housing units delivered under the scheme nationwide to 700, further strengthening efforts to provide soldiers with decent and affordable homes after meritorious service.
Lieutenant General Shaibu emphasised that the Nigerian Army’s ongoing infrastructural development encompasses modern barracks accommodation, healthcare facilities and post-service housing schemes designed to improve troops’ living conditions, boost morale and enhance operational effectiveness.
He noted that the Army’s transformation agenda places equal premium on combat readiness and personnel welfare, in line with his Soldier-First Culture.
He further disclosed that 5 per cent of the housing units have been reserved for personnel wounded in action, reaffirming the Army’s commitment to those who have made enormous sacrifices in defence of the nation.
The COAS noted that the AHOOAS programme has progressively delivered 400 housing units in Abuja in December 2024, 60 in Ibadan in December 2025, 80 in Jos in June 2026 and 40 in Benin City on 6 November 2026, in addition to the newly commissioned 120 units.
He commended the Post-Service Housing Development Limited, PHDL, project partners and successive Army leaderships, particularly the late Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja and the current Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, for their contributions to the initiative.
General Shaibu expressed profound appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his unwavering support towards the expansion, modernisation and infrastructural development of the Nigerian Army. He assured that the Army would continue to translate the Federal Government’s investments into improved operational capabilities, enhanced personnel welfare and sustainable security for the nation.
Earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of PHDL, Major General Kevin Ukandu, disclosed that Phase 3 of the Idu housing project is already under construction and scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2027.
He added that the estate features a 2.5-kilometre asphalted road with drainage, a 500KVA transformer, solar-powered streetlights and a water reticulation system, reaffirming PHDL’s commitment to ensuring that more soldiers become homeowners before retirement.
