Nigeria recently commemorated the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL), recognizing the courage, professionalism, and sacrifices of the men and women of the Nigerian Army. The occasion celebrated their unwavering commitment to protecting our nation’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democratic institutions.
One of the most significant announcements during the celebration was the increase in the minimum monthly salary for entry-level soldiers from ₦49,000 to ₦100,000.
This is a commendable step that deserves recognition. It demonstrates that progress is possible. However, it should also mark the beginning—not the end—of a broader national conversation about military welfare.
Military welfare extends far beyond salaries. It includes quality healthcare, mental health services, decent housing, educational opportunities for military children, family support, professional development, timely pensions, rehabilitation for wounded personnel, survivor benefits, and comprehensive care for veterans. A nation that asks its Armed Forces to make extraordinary sacrifices must also demonstrate an enduring commitment to their well-being.
Every day, members of Nigeria’s Armed Forces confront terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, piracy, oil theft, and other security threats. They often serve for extended periods away from their families under demanding and dangerous conditions. Behind every soldier, sailor, and airman stands a family that also sacrifices.
Spouses manage households during deployments, children grow up with prolonged parental absences, and families live with uncertainty each time a loved one is deployed. Supporting military families is therefore not simply a social responsibility; it is an essential component of military readiness.
As a Healthcare Consultant and Health Information Management professional, I believe one of Nigeria’s greatest opportunities for reform lies in strengthening military healthcare.
Modern armed forces depend upon healthy personnel who have access to preventive medicine, trauma care, rehabilitation services, mental health support, specialist consultations, and secure health information systems that ensure continuity of care throughout their careers and into retirement.
Healthcare should be viewed as a strategic investment in national security rather than simply another budgetary expense. Modernizing military healthcare through electronic health records, telemedicine, standardized Health Information Management practices, and evidence-based quality improvement initiatives can improve efficiency, strengthen accountability, reduce administrative delays, and support better health outcomes for those who serve.
Mental health deserves equal attention. The invisible wounds of military service can be just as significant as physical injuries. Expanded access to confidential counseling, resilience training, peer-support programmes, and professional mental health services can strengthen both individual well-being and operational effectiveness.
Military welfare also plays an important role in recruitment and retention. Young Nigerians are more likely to consider military service when they see it as a respected profession offering competitive compensation, quality healthcare, opportunities for career development, and meaningful support for families.
Likewise, experienced personnel are more likely to remain in service when they know their welfare and that of their loved ones are protected. Reduced turnover preserves institutional knowledge, strengthens leadership, and enhances operational readiness.
Technology also presents important opportunities for reform. Secure electronic medical records, integrated personnel systems, biometric identity management, digital payroll systems, and stronger cybersecurity can improve efficiency, transparency, accountability, and continuity of care while supporting better administration across the Armed Forces.
No single institution can accomplish these reforms alone. Sustainable progress will require collaboration among the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters, the Armed Forces, the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Health Insurance Authority, universities, teaching hospitals, veterans’ organizations, nonprofit organizations, and responsible private-sector partners.
These partnerships should complement—not replace—the government’s primary responsibility to provide for the welfare of military personnel and their families.
I also believe Nigeria should develop a comprehensive National Military Welfare Strategy with measurable goals, transparent reporting, and long-term planning. Such a strategy should integrate healthcare, mental health, housing, veterans’ services, digital modernization, family support, and institutional accountability into a coordinated national framework.
Ultimately, military welfare is not merely a defence expenditure. It is an investment in national security, human capital, institutional resilience, and sustainable national development. A nation that protects those who protect it strengthens its own future.
The recent salary increase provides an important opportunity. Let us build upon that progress by ensuring that military welfare reflects the value we place on the men and women who dedicate their lives to defending Nigeria.
The true measure of a grateful nation is found not only in military parades or commemorative ceremonies, but in the policies we enact, the institutions we strengthen, and the commitments we honour.
The men and women of Nigeria’s Armed Forces have answered the call to serve our nation.
The question before us is simple:
Will Nigeria answer its call to serve them?
About the Author
Honorable Ambassador Princess Asha Okojie, MBA, BS-HIM, is a Healthcare Consultant, Health Information Management professional, and public policy advocate. She is a former Labour Party Governorship Aspirant for Edo State (2024).
Her work focuses on healthcare reform, digital health systems, Health Information Management, government-supported health insurance, institutional strengthening, and evidence-based public policy.
She is the author of the forthcoming white paper, Beyond the Battlefield: A National Framework for Reforming the Welfare of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, Veterans, Their Families, and National Security Sector Reform.
The views expressed are those of the author and are intended to contribute to constructive public dialogue on military welfare, healthcare reform, and national security.