Defence College Commandant Calls for Urgent Curriculum Overhaul

The Commandant of the National Defence College (NDC) has issued a clarion call for a comprehensive review of the institution’s curriculum, saying it has become "increasingly outdated" and must be modernized to address Nigeria’s changing security landscape.

At the conclusion of Course 33, the Commandant highlighted that the current course content, teaching methods, and institutional partnerships no longer reflect the complex and evolving nature of national and global security threats. He urged a retooling of the NDC’s nine-module structure to include greater emphasis on themes such as intelligence-led operations, science and technology, multiagency coordination, and the economic dimensions of security. If we are to produce strategic thinkers capable of responding to asymmetric, hybrid, and non-state threats, we must update our curriculum,” the Commandant said in remarks reported by the college. In addition to military doctrine, the review will explore integrating modules on financial crime, corruption, and economic security, a move that reflects the growing understanding that national security cannot be divorced from economic and governance issues. As part of the reform push, the NDC is reportedly looking to deepen its collaboration with civilian institutions and other government agencies — including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) — to draw on wider expertise and strengthen the college’s research and teaching capacity. President Bola Tinubu has also thrown his weight behind the reforms. He recently received the Course 33 report from the NDC, urging that the college’s training translate into “actionable national security solutions” and emphasizing the need for strategic thinking among both military officers and civilian participants. Course 33 saw nearly 100 participants, including senior military officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, top police officials, and representatives from 18 ministries and agencies. Notably, there were also 23 international participants, underscoring the NDC’s role as a regional centre of excellence for defence and strategic studies. Observers and trainers, including senior commanders from the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), have backed the Commandant’s appeal, calling for not just piecemeal adjustments but a sweeping refresh of doctrine and training to keep pace with multi-domain warfare and international cooperation. The NDC has previously signalled its ambition to become a degree-granting institution, with plans to expand its research centre. That move, analysts say, will provide the institutional backbone for continuous curriculum renewal and position the college more firmly as a think-tank for national security policy. Implementing the proposed reforms, according to experts, will require increased funding, faculty development, and stronger ties with civilian research institutions. But if successful, the overhaul could transform the NDC into more than just a senior officer training ground — making it a dynamic centre for policy-oriented research and leadership, capable of producing graduates who are ready for the strategic challenges of the 21st century.