The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has described effective data management and record-keeping as a strategic capability essential to informed decision-making, operational effectiveness and accountability in the Nigerian Army.
Shaibu stated this on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, while declaring open the Fourth Edition of the Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary Data Management and Record-Keeping Seminar at the Armed Forces Officers’ Mess, Abuja.
The seminar, themed “Efficient Data Management and Record-Keeping: Imperative for Advancing the Transformation of the Nigerian Army,” brought together military personnel, academics and other resource persons to examine contemporary approaches to managing, securing and preserving critical institutional information.
Represented by the Dean, Faculty of Combat Arms Research, Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, Major General Eyitayo Oyinlola, the COAS said accurate and accessible data was indispensable to the Army’s transformation efforts.
He noted that although considerable attention was often devoted to force structure, equipment acquisition and training, the effectiveness of such investments ultimately depended on the availability of accurate, secure and timely information.
According to him, decisions relating to recruitment, commissioning, postings, promotions, career progression, welfare, logistics, force generation and operational planning are fundamentally dependent on the quality, integrity and accessibility of relevant data.
The Army Chief therefore stressed the need for personnel responsible for data management and record-keeping to maintain high professional standards and adopt modern systems capable of protecting institutional information.
He said effective records management would not only improve administrative efficiency but also strengthen accountability and support evidence-based decision-making across the Nigerian Army.
The seminar is expected to provide an avenue for participants to examine emerging challenges in data management and identify practical measures for improving the collection, storage, security, retrieval and preservation of military records.
The COAS emphasised that as the Nigerian Army continues its transformation, data should be treated as a strategic resource rather than merely an administrative requirement.
He urged participants to contribute meaningfully to the discussions and develop recommendations that would strengthen the Army’s information management systems and support its operational and institutional objectives.
