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By Philip Nwosu
The newly appointed Commandant of the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ignatius Ilo, has pledged to improve training quality, address infrastructural gaps and strengthen operational efficiency across the Centre.
AVM Ilo, who assumed office on December 15, 2025 as the 42nd Commandant of NAFRC, made the commitment during his familiarisation tour of the Centre, undertaken to assess facilities, interact with personnel and identify areas requiring both immediate and long-term intervention.
He said his leadership would focus on creating a more conducive learning environment, expanding workshop capacity and ensuring that training delivered to participants is practical, relevant and aligned with modern industry standards. According to him, these measures are critical to adequately prepare retiring military personnel for reintegration into civilian life after the Centre’s six-month intensive vocational and entrepreneurial training programme.
The Commandant also disclosed plans to carry out a comparative study of similar resettlement and rehabilitation centres abroad. He explained that the initiative would expose NAFRC to international best practices, enable effective benchmarking and support the adoption of innovative ideas that would further enhance the quality of training.
The tour began at the Directorate of Training, where AVM Ilo received a briefing from the Director of Training, Major General I.O. Olatunji, on the structure, responsibilities and strategic positioning of the Directorate, particularly its proximity to the workshops for efficient supervision and coordination.
Major General Olatunji noted that the Centre’s training curriculum is due for review, adding that the last comprehensive update was conducted in 2022 and now requires revision to reflect evolving vocational needs and current realities.
AVM Ilo later inspected several workshops across the Centre, including automobile and auto-mechanic, weaving and textile, carpentry and woodwork, leather works, ceramics, foundry, fabrication, welding, plumbing, waste management, photography and events management. Other facilities visited include the agricultural wing, training battalion, medical centre, ICT centre and the management wing.
He stressed the need to improve the learning environment through the provision of visual and instructional aids, as well as the installation of modern training equipment in relevant workshops. According to him, this will expose trainees to mechanised operations and current industry practices.
Concluding the two-day tour, the Commandant reaffirmed his commitment to upgrading infrastructure, improving the quality of training and enhancing staff welfare. He assured personnel that observations made during the exercise would be translated into actionable plans to reposition NAFRC as a leading resettlement and vocational training institution for retiring members of the armed forces.
