The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is a military university based in Kaduna, Nigeria, that trains

officer cadets Officer cadet is a rank held by military personnel during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by personnel of University Service Units such as the University Officers' Training Corps. The ...

for commissioning into one of the three services of the

Nigerian Armed Forces The Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF) are the Military, military forces of Nigeria. The forces consist of three service branches: the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, and Nigerian Air Force. The President of Nigeria functions as the commander-in-chief of ...

: the

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

, the

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

, and the

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

. The duration of training at the Nigerian Defence Academy is five years (four years academic and one year military).

History

The NDA was established in February 1964 as a reformation of the British run ''Royal Military Forces Training College'' (RMFTC), which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) on independence. The military institution trains the officer corps of the

Nigerian Army The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land force of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the largest component of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The President of Nigeria is the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Army, and its professional head is the Chie ...

, Navy and Air Force. The initial class had only 62

cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...

s, and the trainers were mostly officers in the

Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...

. The Nigerian National Defence Academy (NDA) follows the pattern of similar NDA in Khadakwasla, Pune, India. The first commandant of NDA was

Brigadier M.R Verma. The NDA grew to an all Nigerian training staff only in 1978.Welcome page, NIGERIAN DEFENCE ACADEMY, www.nigeriandefenceacademy.edu.ng (2008), accessed 2009-04-20 In 1981, it began bilateral training of foreign militaries. In 1985, the academy commenced offering undergraduate programmes to Military Officers In Training and now also currently offers post graduate studies both for Msc and Ph.D. for both military and civilian students alike. The central mission remains the training of young officer cadets in the 5 year ''"Regular Combatant Course"'' in which cadets are groomed in Military, Academic and Character development to instill discipline and leadership skills according to global best practices, culminating in the award of a bachelor's degree and presidential commissioning into the rank of second lieutenant for Army cadets or equivalent in the Navy and Air Force for respective cadets. Until 2011 this course used to be exclusively for males, the first set of female cadets commenced training in September 2011. As of 2019, its total cadet class is around 2500.

Organization

Administration

The current Commandant is Major General Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim. He took over from Major Gen. JO Ochai in 2025.

Military structure

* Headquarters * Directorate of Military Training * Directorate of Administration ** NDA Hospital ** NDA Provost Command ** Administration Battalion ** 92 MIR ** 37 NDA Demonstration Battalion ** NDA Band ** Religious Affairs Department ** Legal Department ** Civilian Personnel Unit ** NDA

National Youth Service Corps The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a mandatory, post-tertiary scheme set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime of Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, to "reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian ...

* Directorate of ICT * Directorate of Logistics * Cadet Brigade * Directorate of Coordination * Directorate of Finance

Academics

Academic structure

* School of Postgraduate Studies * Undergraduate Admission * Postgraduate Admission * Faculty of Engineering * Faculty of Science * Faculty of Art and Social Science * Faculty of Military Science * Faculty of Management Science

Academic Library

Nigerian Defence Academy

Library A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...

is the main Library that support both teaching and military training. The library acquired and developed information resources that meet the information needs of cadets, faculty members, officers and civilians staff. The academy library was launched at the end of 1963 to facilitate and enhance effective learning. The Library was finally moved to the permanent site on the 16 of June 2009 for effective teaching and learning to meet the objectives and the current Academy

Librarian A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educat ...

is Umar Lawal.

Research Elements

* Centre For Critical Thinking, Teaching and Learning * Centre for Defence Studies And Documentation * Academic Planning Unit * Research Methodology Office (RMO) * Directorate for Collaborations, Affiliations and Linkages

Student life

Cadet Brigade

The Cadet Brigade (CB) is one of the main organs of the NDA. There are a total of 2,990 Regular Combatant cadets in the Academy and 12 allied cadets from

Burkina-Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

Republic of Congo The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo), is a country located on the western coast of Central ...

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

and

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

. The Brigade is commanded by an Army officer and is designated as the Cadets Brigade Commander (CBC). The CB comprises the following: * Headquarters * Mogadishu Battalion * Dalet Battalion * Abyssinia Battalion * Burma Battalion * Ashanti Battalion * Colito Battalion * Counseling Unit * Preparatory Wing * ''Valiant'' Magazine Office

NDA Band

The NDA Band is responsible for the provision of military music at regimental occasions such as POP, beating the retreat, dinner nights as well as dance band for social gatherings like wedding ceremonies, mess activities or as the circumstances dictate. The NDA Band headed by an Assistant Director of Music (ADOM).

NDA Anthem

Commandants

Below is the chronological list of NDA Commandants: # Brigadier M.R. Varma (1964 – 1969) (Indian national and 1st Commandant of the NDA) # Major General

David Ejoor David Akpode Ejoor RCDS, PSC, (10 January 1932 – 10 February 2019) was a Nigerian military officer who served as Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Career Early in Ejoor's career, he commanded the guard at the flag-raising ceremony at midnight ...

(January 1969 – January 1971) (1st Nigerian Commandant) # Major General Robert Adeyinka Adebayo (January 1971 – March 1971) # Major General Eyo Okon Ekpo (March 1971 – February 1975) # Brigadier

Illiya Bisalla Iliya D. Bisalla (died 11 March 1976) was a Major General in the Nigerian Army and Defence Minister of Nigeria, Commissioner of Defence (title is now Defence Minister of Nigeria, Minister of Defence) under the military administration of General ...

(February 1975 – August 1975) # Brigadier

Gibson Jalo Gibson Sanda Jalo (1 March 1939 – 10 January 2000) was a Nigerian Army Lieutenant-general (Nigeria), lieutenant general, who was the Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) from April 1980 until October 1981. He also served ...

(August 1975 – January 1978) # Brigadier E.S. Armah (January 1978 – July 1978) # Brigadier

Joseph Garba Joseph Nanven Garba (17 July 1943 – 1 June 2002) was a Nigerian general, diplomat, and politician who served as president of the United Nations General Assembly from 1989 to 1990. He served as federal commissioner for external affairs from ...

(July 1978 – July 1979) # Brigadier

Zamani Lekwot Zamani Lekwot (born 19 July 1944) is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the military governor of Rivers State, Nigeria from July 1975 until July 1978 during the military administrations of Generals Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun ...

(July 1979 – 1982) # Brigadier

Abdullahi Shelleng Abdullahi Shelleng (born 20 January 1942) was the first Military Governor of Benue State during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, after Benue State had been split from the old Benue-Plateau State. He ruled from 3 February 1976 to ...

(1982 – January 1984) # Major General

Paul Tarfa Paul Chabri Tarfa (born 6 August 1941) is a retired Nigerian army major general who was appointed Governor of Oyo State, during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, handing over to the elected civilian governor Bola Ige. Early l ...

(January 1984 – 1985) # Major General Peter Adomokai (1986 – 1988) # Lieutenant General

Salihu Ibrahim Salihu Ibrahim FSS, FHWC (25 June 1935 – 10 December 2018) was a Nigerian army general who was Chief of Army Staff from August 1990 until September 1993 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. Biography Ibrahim joined the army ...

(1988 – 1990) # Lieutenant General Garba Duba (1990 – February 1992) # Lieutenant General

Aliyu Mohammed Gusau Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (born 18 May 1943) is a Nigerian general and statesman. He has held several high level national security, military and intelligence offices, and has participated in several military coups, playing a central role in foundi ...

(February 1992 – January 1993) # Lieutenant General Mohammed Balarabe Haladu (January 1993 – 1994) # Air Marshal Al-Amin Daggash (1994 – June 1998) # Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (June 1998 – 1999) # Major General Thaddeus Ashei (2000 – 2002) # Major General Okon Edet Okon (2002 – 2003) # Major General Patrick Ademu Akpa (2003 – 2004) # Lieutenant General Abel Akale (2004 – 2006) # Major General Harris Dzarma (2006 – August 2008) # Major General Mamuda Yerima (August 2008 – August 2010) # Major General Emeka Onwuamaegbu (August 2010 – December 2013) # Major General Muhammad Inuwa Idris (December 2013 – August 2015) # Major General Mohammed Tasiu Ibrahim (August 2015 – October 2017) # Major General Adeniyi Oyebade (October 2017 – November 2019) # Major General Jamil Sarham (November 2019 – March 2021) # Major General Sagir Yaro (March 2021 – April 2021) # Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf (April 2021 – June 2023) # Major General John Ochai (June 2023 – April 2025) # Major General Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim (April 2025 — Present)

Alumni

* Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, former Chief of Army Staff *

Alexander Ogomudia Alexander Odeareduo Ogomudia (born 29 December 1949) is a retired Nigerian army General (Nigeria), general who served as Chief of the Defence Staff (Nigeria), Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria from 2003 to 2006 and Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria ...

, former Chief of Defence Staff & Chief of Army Staff *

Sani Abacha Sani Abacha (; (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military dictator and statesman who ruled Nigeria with an iron fist as military head of state from 1993 following a palace coup d'état until his death in 1998. Abacha's seiz ...

, former Military ruler of Nigeria *

Muhammadu Buhari Muhammadu Buhari (born 17 December 1942) is a Nigerian politician who served as the president of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023. A retired Nigerian army major general, he was the military head of state of Nigeria from 31 December 1983 to 27 Augu ...

President of Nigeria The president of Nigeria, officially the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is the head of state and head of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The president directs the executive branch of the Federal Government an ...

and former Military Head of State * Azubuike Ihejirika, former Chief of Army Staff *

Dangiwa Umar Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (born 21 September 1949) was governor of Kaduna state in Nigeria from August 1985 to June 1988 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. After retiring from the army in 1993, he became a social critic and the f ...

, former Governor of

Kaduna State Kaduna (, جىِهَر كَدُنا; مدينة كدونا; , ; ) is a States of Nigeria, state in the northwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The state capital is its namesake, the city of Kaduna (city), Kaduna, which was the List of Nigerian ...

Gideon Orkar Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar (October 4, 1952 – July 27, 1990) was a Nigerian military officer who staged an attempted violent coup against the government of General Ibrahim Babangida on April 22, 1990. Orkar and his conspirators seized the FRCN ra ...

, April 1990 coup leader * Tukur Yusuf Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff,

* Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, former Chief of Naval Staff,

Nigerian Navy The Nigerian Navy (NN) is the Navy, naval branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Nigerian armed forces. With more than 70 warships, it is categorised as the fourth strongest navy in Africa (after South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco). It is co ...

* Kayode Are, former National Security Adviser and Director General State Security Service * Maxwell Khobe, former

ECOMOG The Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) was a West African multilateral armed force established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ECOMOG was a formal arrangement for separate armies to work ...

Peacekeeping Force Commander and Chief of Defence Staff, Sierra Leone * Emeka Onwuamaegbu Former Commandant, NDA * Muhammad Inuwa Idris, Former Commandant, NDA * Oladipo Diya, former Chief of Defence Staff *

Owoye Andrew Azazi Owoye Andrew Azazi (1 February 1952 – 15 December 2012) was a Nigerian army General (Nigeria), general who served as National Security Adviser (Nigeria), National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, was Chief of Defence Staff (N ...

, former Chief of Defence Staff & Chief of Army Staff *Sultan

Sa'adu Abubakar Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar () (born 24 August 1956) is the 20th List of sultans of Sokoto, Sultan of Sokoto. As Sultan of Sokoto, he is considered the spiritual leader of Islam in Nigeria, Nigeria's Muslims.Sultan of Sokoto The sultan of Sokoto is the hereditary leader of the Sokoto Caliphate, a Sunni Muslim community in West Africa. The position may also be referred to as the 'Sokoto Caliph' or the "Commander of the Faithful" (''Amir-ul-Momineen'' in Arabic or ''Lami ...

* Sambo Dasuki, National Security Adviser * Tunji Olurin, former military governor of

Oyo State Oyo is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the List of Nigerian cities by population, third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa. Oyo ...

* Victor Malu, former Chief of Army Staff * John Michael Ogidi, former

Officer and Commander Corps of Signals

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

Headquarters Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...

* Christopher Gwabin Musa, incumbent Chief of the Defence Staff * Lawal Jafar Isa, former Military Governor of kaduna state

References

External links

* * {{authority control Defence agencies of Nigeria Military education and training in Nigeria Educational institutions established in 1964 1964 establishments in Nigeria