The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has urged military personnel to invest in home ownership and plan early for retirement to secure their financial future.
Shaibu gave the advice on Wednesday while inaugurating the Nigerian Army Welfare Limited by Guarantee (NAWLG) Luxury Estate in Yaba, Lagos.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.
The COAS described the estate as a significant milestone in promoting sustainable investments, quality housing and long-term welfare for serving and retired personnel.
He said the project offered a model that combined military and civilian investments to provide quality housing and financial security.
Shaibu noted that frequent postings and operational deployments often made it difficult for military personnel to establish permanent family homes.
According to him, inadequate accommodation can also make the transition to retirement challenging without proper financial planning.
He commended personnel who invested in the estate and urged others to prepare early for life after service.
Shaibu said home ownership would provide stability and independence from service-related accommodation and other privileges after retirement.
He explained that the estate’s mixed-ownership structure was designed to create a modern community where military and civilian homeowners could live together.
The COAS explained that the initiative was not intended to create another barracks but a socially integrated and commercially sustainable residential community.
He added that interaction between military and civilian residents would help retiring personnel adjust to civilian life, build relationships and strengthen civil-military relations.
Shaibu said the project aligned with his command philosophy, particularly the pillar of “Sound Administration”, and complemented the “Soldier First Concept”, which linked personnel welfare with motivation and institutional effectiveness.
While reaffirming the army’s commitment to providing accommodation for serving personnel, he stressed the importance of legitimate personal investments to secure their future.
He charged NAWLG management to uphold transparency, accountability, sound financial management and compliance with commercial and regulatory standards to protect subscribers’ interests.
The COAS expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his strategic guidance and support to the Nigerian Army.
He also commended NAWLG’s leadership, developers, consultants and investors for bringing the project to fruition.
Shaibu further congratulated the homeowners and expressed hope that the estate would provide comfort, peace and harmonious coexistence for its residents.
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