The Nigerian Army’s evolving doctrine of professionalism, innovation, and intellectual depth found its clearest expression in the rise of Colonel Professor Abubakar-Surajo Imam, whose career now stands at the intersection of command authority and academic excellence, marking a defining shift in how modern military leadership is conceived within Nigeria’s defence architecture.
Desk: Defence & Security
Date: Thursday, 5 February 2026
Time: 11:42 WAT
Location: Kaduna, Nigeria
Recognised in 2023 as the first serving Nigerian Army officer to attain the rank of Professor, Colonel Imam’s trajectory has since advanced further, with his promotion to the rank of Colonel in 2025 reinforcing the Army’s deliberate alignment of operational leadership with knowledge-driven capability development.
His progression
reflects an institutional recalibration in which intellectual capital is no
longer peripheral but central to force effectiveness in a complex,
technology-driven security environment.
Colonel Imam currently serves as Head
of the Department of Mechatronics Engineering at the Nigerian Defence Academy
(NDA), Kaduna, while also directing the Centre for Innovation and Creativity
(CINOCRE), positioning him at the heart of Nigeria’s military-academic
ecosystem. His dual responsibilities place him in direct influence over the
training of future officers, research development, and applied innovation
aligned with contemporary defence needs.
“The modern
battlefield rewards not just courage, but competence, adaptability and
technological mastery,” Colonel Imam has observed in professional engagements, a philosophy that
underpins his approach to military education and capability building.
His academic specialisation in
Mechatronics Engineering—a multidisciplinary field integrating mechanical
systems, electronics, control engineering and computing—mirrors the Nigerian
Army’s increasing emphasis on automation, systems integration, unmanned
platforms and adaptive technologies. Through CINOCRE, research initiatives have
increasingly focused on indigenous solutions, innovation incubation and applied
engineering relevant to Nigeria’s unique operational environment.
The significance of Colonel Imam’s
ascent extends beyond personal achievement. It signals an institutional
endorsement of scholarship as a force multiplier, reinforcing the Nigerian
Army’s transition toward intelligence-led, technology-enabled and innovation-driven
operations. By retaining him as a serving officer while advancing his academic
leadership, the Army has effectively bridged a long-standing gap between theory
and practice in military professional development.
Within the NDA, his leadership has also
redefined the role of military lecturers, strengthening standards for research
output, interdisciplinary collaboration and practical problem-solving. Cadets
and junior officers trained under this framework are increasingly exposed to
analytical thinking, systems design and innovation-oriented leadership—skills
essential for countering asymmetric threats and emerging security challenges.
Colonel Imam’s 2025 promotion to
Colonel further consolidates his authority within both command and academic
structures, affirming that scholarly excellence does not exist in isolation
from military hierarchy but can coexist with, and enhance, command credibility.
The advancement reflects confidence in his ability to translate academic
insight into operational relevance and institutional value.
His career has also reshaped internal
perceptions, demonstrating that the Nigerian Army’s professional ceiling is no
longer defined solely by traditional command paths, but can also be reached
through rigorous scholarship, innovation and sustained intellectual
contribution. This shift aligns with global military best practices, where
armed forces increasingly invest in knowledge superiority as a determinant of
strategic advantage.
As Nigeria’s security environment
continues to evolve, the model represented by Colonel Professor Abubakar-Surajo
Imam offers a compelling blueprint for the future-one where military
effectiveness is reinforced by research, innovation and disciplined
intellectual leadership. His journey stands not merely as a milestone, but as a
signal of where the Nigerian Army is headed: toward a force that fights
smarter, thinks deeper, and builds sustainably for the challenges ahead.
Fact-Check & Background Context
Colonel Professor Abubakar-Surajo Imam was recognised in 2023 as the Nigerian Army’s first serving professor at the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 2025 and currently serves as Head, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, and Director, Centre for Innovation and Creativity (CINOCRE), NDA Kaduna.
His career institutionalises scholarship within military leadership, strengthening innovation, research-driven training and technology integration as core elements of Nigerian Army operational readiness.
The Nigerian Army’s continued
elevation of intellectual leadership signals deeper investment in indigenous
innovation, advanced military education and long-term capability development
across domains.
🏷 Tags: defence policy, Nigeria, Nigerian Army, military education, innovation, leadership
Hashtags: #NigerianArmy
#DefenceInnovation #MilitaryLeadership #NDAKaduna #SecurityPolicy
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