The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, AIG Olohundare Jimoh, has urged retiring and soon-to-retire military officers to transform the knowledge gained from entrepreneurship training into viable businesses capable of creating jobs, empowering young people and contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth.
Jimoh made the call on Friday while serving as the Special Guest of Honour at the graduation ceremony of the Senior and Mid-Level Officers Entrepreneurship and Management Course 19/2026, organised by the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi, Lagos.
The programme, conducted in collaboration with the Empretec Nigeria Foundation, was designed to equip officers approaching retirement with practical entrepreneurial and management skills to prepare them for life and productive engagement outside active military service.
Participants comprised commissioned officers from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Defence Intelligence Agency, Defence Space Administration and NAFRC, all of whom are either due for retirement or expected to retire in the near future.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jimoh said entrepreneurship should no longer be regarded as an optional pursuit for military personnel preparing to leave active service, describing it as an increasingly important tool for economic independence and sustainable development.
He noted that rapid technological advancement, changing economic conditions and growing global competition had created a business environment that requires individuals to be innovative, adaptable and capable of making sound managerial decisions.
“Economic realities, technological advancement and global competition demand creativity, adaptability, innovation and sound managerial competence. Entrepreneurship is no longer an option but a necessity for sustainable economic growth, job creation and national stability,” Jimoh said.
The AIG challenged the graduands to move beyond acquiring certificates and ensure that the skills, knowledge and experience gained during the programme translated into practical enterprises that could generate wealth and employment.
He encouraged the officers to establish businesses that would empower young Nigerians, reduce unemployment and stimulate economic activity within their communities, urging them to become ambassadors of peace, unity and development after leaving active service.
Jimoh also commended the NAFRC and Empretec Nigeria Foundation for sustaining the entrepreneurship programme, noting that the initiative had over the years produced entrepreneurs, administrators, employers of labour, industrialists and community leaders from among serving and retiring military personnel.
According to him, the current participants received practical exposure to areas including agriculture, food processing, packaging, entrepreneurship development and business management, while local and international study tours further exposed them to modern approaches to running successful enterprises.
He said the combination of classroom instruction and practical exposure was crucial to equipping the officers with the confidence and competence required to navigate the realities of the business world and convert ideas into sustainable ventures.
Earlier, the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ignatius Ilo, expressed confidence that the graduands were now better equipped to pursue enterprise development and urged them to apply their newly acquired knowledge while serving as worthy ambassadors of the centre.
Ilo also expressed hope that the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies would eventually participate in the programme, saying broader involvement would strengthen cooperation, harmony and unity among Nigeria’s security services.
The Country Director of Empretec Nigeria Foundation, Mrs. Onari Duke, described the graduands as having entered the programme as officers in uniform but emerging as “architects of enterprise.” She disclosed that the cohort became the first to visit the operational farm of agribusiness company Cormat along the Ibadan Expressway and receive direct mentorship from a retired Air Vice Marshal who owns Profound Farm. Duke urged the graduands to build businesses with the integrity, discipline and resilience that characterised their military careers, remain receptive to mentorship and take advantage of Empretec’s continued support as they transition from military service into entrepreneurship.