The Defence Headquarters is reinforcing its commitment to the welfare and continued relevance of retired military personnel through pension-linked salary adjustments, economic empowerment initiatives and stronger institutional engagement with veterans.
Desk: Defence & Security
Date: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Time: 23:40 WAT
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
The renewed focus emerged during a meeting between the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the National President of the Retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers Association, Major General Hussaini Abayomi Salihu (rtd), who led the association’s new executive council on a courtesy visit to Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
General Oluyede, who is also Chief Patron of the association, assured the retired officers that their service and sacrifices remain valued while expressing his determination to work with the veterans’ community to address welfare concerns within existing government policies and institutional frameworks.
The engagement followed the association’s presentation of several proposals aimed at strengthening the welfare and socio-economic relevance of retired military personnel. Major General Salihu explained that the delegation was also seeking closer engagement with Defence Headquarters following the assumption of office by the association’s new executive council.
Among the proposals was the creation of a comprehensive database of association members. The initiative is intended to provide an accessible pool of qualified and experienced retired officers whose expertise could be deployed by companies and organisations requiring specialised professional services.
Major General Salihu also commended the Federal Government for measures aimed at improving the welfare of serving personnel, particularly recent salary increases and the consequential adjustments affecting retired personnel. He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the measures and presented additional requests directed at improving veterans’ welfare and economic participation.
Responding to concerns surrounding salary increases and their implications for retired personnel, General Oluyede explained that the ongoing implementation is comprehensive and includes consequential adjustments to veterans’ pensions and benefits in accordance with applicable government policies.
The assurance places pension adjustments within the wider framework of personnel welfare, linking improvements in the conditions of serving military personnel with corresponding implications for those who have completed their service.
Beyond pensions and benefits, Defence Headquarters is also pursuing economic empowerment measures designed to help veterans and their families build sustainable sources of income.
General Oluyede highlighted ongoing collaboration between Defence Headquarters and the Bank of Industry to facilitate access to low-interest financing for business enterprises operated by serving and retired military personnel and their families.
The initiative is intended to support the establishment and expansion of businesses while advancing broader objectives of economic self-reliance, empowerment and improved household welfare within the military community.
The CDS further assured the delegation that Defence Headquarters would continue to pursue practical partnerships and institutional measures capable of improving the quality of life of veterans and their families.
The engagement consequently reinforces veterans’ welfare as more than a retirement obligation, positioning it within a broader institutional framework encompassing pensions, economic opportunity, professional relevance and sustained connection with the military establishment.
For the Armed Forces, maintaining this relationship also preserves a link between accumulated professional experience and contemporary national development needs, particularly where retired officers can contribute specialised knowledge and expertise beyond active service.
The meeting therefore strengthens the institutional bridge between Defence Headquarters and Nigeria’s retired military community, with welfare, economic empowerment and continued professional relevance forming important elements of that relationship.
🏷️ Tags: Veterans’ Welfare, Defence Headquarters, General Oluyede, Military Veterans, Military Pensions, Bank of Industry
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