The Senate has confirmed Nigeria’s four service chiefs-designate after marathon screening sessions in Abuja, where each nominee outlined ambitious plans for a smarter, self-reliant and technologically advanced military.

President Bola Tinubu had, last week, forwarded the names of Lt-Gen Olufemi Oluyede, Maj-Gen Waidi Shaibu, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas and AVM Sunday Aneke for confirmation as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) and Chief of Air Staff (CAS) respectively.

During the Senate session, the nominees presented distinct but complementary visions centred on local defence production, inter-service collaboration, troop welfare and technological innovation.

Oluyede called for urgent investment in a domestic military industrial complex, warning that reliance on foreign weapons is “unsustainable and costly”.

He said: “No nation can claim true sovereignty without control over its defence production. We must develop our own capacity to equip and defend the nation,” he said.

The CDS also highlighted cyber warfare, misinformation and policing gaps as emerging threats, stressing that military personnel’s welfare must reflect the sacrifices made in service.

On his part, Shaibu pledged to modernise counter-terrorism operations through technology, intelligence and morale boost.

“The welfare of troops is central to sustaining fighting power. We will improve living conditions, ensure financial support, as well as guaranteed healthcare and education,” he said.

He also promised enhanced night-fighting capabilities, retrained special forces and the continued rehabilitation of repentant insurgents through Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), stressing the need for a “whole-of-society approach” to lasting peace.

Abbas focused on a technological overhaul rather than creating a new Coast Guard.

“The Navy’s constitutional mandate already covers these duties. Resources should enhance platforms and logistics, not duplicate bureaucracy,” he said.

He pledged to make drones and digital surveillance central to maritime security, fight oil theft and piracy, and announced a Special Operations Command in Makurdi to secure inland waterways, while emphasising community involvement when handling de-radicalised ex-insurgents and integration with civil and law enforcement agencies.

Aneke stressed that the Air Force must stay ahead of a smart enemy through adaptability, intellect and technology.

“The enemy you are fighting went to school. He is as smart as you. Your greatest mistake is to think them ragtag.”

A veteran pilot with over 4,300 flying hours and multiple advanced degrees, the CAS emphasised cost-efficiency, intelligence integration and inter-service collaboration: “Security is not a solo effort. The Air Force, Navy and Army must work as one.”

Aneke’s vision centres on adaptive warfare, rigorous training and innovation, while ensuring the Air Force remains agile in confronting evolving threats.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised all four nominees for their clarity, professionalism, and patriotism. He said their shared agenda – self-reliance in defence production, welfare-driven leadership, technological modernisation and inter-agency synergy – reflects a new generation of officers ready to defend Nigeria with intellect and integrity.

The service chiefs now face the challenge of translating their vision into action in a complex security environment marked by insurgency, cyber threats, oil theft and resource constraints. Their joint doctrine, however, is clear: a self-reliant, well-equipped and technologically superior armed force, united in purpose and adaptive in strategy.