Nigeria has been chosen to host the third edition of the Forum of African Defence and War Colleges’ Commandants (FADWCC) 2026.

This is contained in a statement released to newsmen by the public relations officer of the National Defence College (NDC), Navy Capt. Muhammed Tukur, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Tukur said the hosting right was announced by the director of the Royal College of Higher Military Studies (CREMS), Morocco, Col.-Maj. Lahcen El-Hajjami, at the recently concluded 2nd Edition of the forum.

He said the announcement was sequel to a unanimous vote by member-countries in attendance.

According to him, the hosting rights makes Nigeria to become the second host and first Anglophone country to play host to the forum.

“The FADWCC was conceptualised in 2024 to forge partnerships among the defence and war colleges.

“It also aimed at proffering solutions to common problems facing African nations in addition to enhancing collaborations in higher professional military education.

“The leader of Nigeria’s delegation and commandant of NDC Nigeria, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Morakinyo Olotu, had accepted the hosting right on behalf of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and received the symbolic hosting flag from his Moroccan counterpart,” he said.

Mr Tukur said the 2025 FADWCC with the theme, “Artificial Intelligence and Defence”, was attended by commandants of defence and war colleges from 14 African nations.

The countries that attended the 2025 edition, according to him, included Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire and Ethiopia. Others are Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, and Zambia.

“The attendance witnessed a remarkable increase from 8 countries in the maiden edition in 2024.

“It is expected that the Third Edition in Abuja in 2026 would witness attendance by more commandants of defence and war colleges across Africa.

“The Nigerian delegation also had the commandants of the Army, Navy and Air Force War Colleges, their spouses and some academic staff members from the four colleges,” he added.

In his remarks, commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Morakinyo Olotu, expressed Nigeria’s readiness to host a befitting forum in Abuja come 2026.

He thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed in Nigeria to host the next edition of the forum with a promise to surpass the high standard set by Morocco.

(NAN)