By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan, Dec. 19, 2025 (NAN) – In a significant move to bolster troop morale and secure the future of its personnel, the Nigerian Army has inaugurated a major housing estate and shopping complex in Ibadan. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, personally commissioned the projects, framing them as a core component of the Army’s renewed focus on comprehensive soldier welfare.
The newly opened Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) estate and an accompanying Post-Service Housing Development Limited (PHDL) shopping complex in Eleyele represent a strategic investment in the lives of soldiers beyond their active service years.
Beyond Barracks: A Foundation for Post-Service Life
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu emphasized that access to decent housing is a critical, yet often overlooked, pillar of military welfare. “This project is a clear demonstration of our resolve to place the welfare of the Nigerian soldier at the centre of our policies and actions,” he stated. “A soldier who is assured of his future is better motivated to give his best in the defence of the nation.”
The AHOOAS scheme is designed to directly address the anxiety many personnel face about retirement. By enabling serving soldiers to acquire affordable homes in their chosen locations, the Army aims to provide a tangible asset and a stable foundation for life after service. This initiative moves beyond temporary allowances to create lasting, generational wealth for military families.
Expanding a National Legacy Project
The Ibadan estate is part of a deliberate national expansion. Shaibu recalled that the pilot phase in Idu, Abuja, successfully delivered over 400 units, now fully occupied. The Ibadan project marks the scheme’s strategic rollout into other geo-political zones, with similar projects underway in Benin, Jos, and Abuja.
In a poignant detail that underscores the Army’s commitment to its wounded warriors, Maj.-Gen. Isaiah Allison, Managing Director of PHDL, announced that 5% of the housing units will be dedicated to soldiers badly injured in battle, offered at a 70% discount. This provision acknowledges extraordinary sacrifice in a profoundly practical manner.
The COAS paid tribute to the late former COAS, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, as the initiator of the housing scheme, pledging that the current leadership would “build on the foundation he laid.”
A Holistic Approach: Housing Integrated with Community and Commerce
The inauguration of the 22-unit shopping complex alongside the housing estate reveals a holistic vision. This facility is intended to do more than provide convenience; it is designed to stimulate the local economy, support soldier-family entrepreneurship, and integrate the military community into the civilian fabric of Ibadan. This model fosters sustainable communities, not just isolated housing clusters.
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu used the occasion to call on other state governments to emulate Oyo State’s support by allocating land for the scheme. He highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in scaling these welfare projects, stating the Army remains open to credible collaborations.
Broader Implications for Security and Stability
Analysts view such welfare projects as directly linked to national security. A motivated, financially secure, and future-focused soldier is less susceptible to corruption and more professionally dedicated. By reducing post-service economic vulnerability, the Army invests in the long-term mental and physical well-being of its force, which translates to higher operational effectiveness.
The event was attended by a high-powered delegation, including representatives of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, signifying strong civil-military relations. Shaibu reassured residents of the Army’s sustained cooperation with civil authorities to promote peace and security.
In reaffirming the Army’s commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a secure Nigeria, the COAS has demonstrated that this vision is built not only on battlefield success but also on the concrete well-being of those tasked with defending the nation.
(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
SYS/MAS
Edited by Moses Solanke
