Amb. Tabitha Hris

SERVICE CHIEFS CHARGE NIPSS PARTICIPANTS TO SAFEGUARD NIGERIA’S ORANGE ECONOMY The Service Chiefs have charged participants of Senior Executive Course (SEC) 48 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, to recognise the strategic importance of safeguarding Nigeria’s emerging Orange Economy and strengthening entrepreneurship as critical components of sustainable national development. The charge featured prominently in presentations by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General W. Shaibu; the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented by Solomon Admiral Bakibo; and the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal S. K. Aneke, represented by Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Idris, mni, on the second day of the Defence and Security Week on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Lieutenant General Shaibu, in a lecture titled “Safeguarding the Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigerian Army,” examined the nexus between national security, entrepreneurship and the creative economy. He highlighted the security and institutional considerations necessary to create an enabling environment for the protection and growth of Nigeria’s creative assets and entrepreneurial activities. In the same vein the representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral PS Anabraba, in a presentation titled “The Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigerian Navy,” examined the Navy’s contributions to the sector, associated challenges and strategies for strengthening its role in sustainable development. Case studies from other countries provided lessons on the contribution of maritime security institutions to the growth of creative economies. Also contributing to the day’s engagements, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Idris, representing the Chief of Air Staff, delivered a lecture titled “The Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of the Nigerian Air Force.” He explored the connection between the Nigerian Air Force and the Orange Economy, highlighting practical lessons, challenges and policy recommendations for strengthening the contribution of the Air Force and other relevant institutions to entrepreneurship and sustainable development. The three presentations underscored the importance of institutional collaboration, effective security frameworks and strategic support in unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s Orange Economy, particularly in driving economic growth, employment and sustainable development. The sessions featured interactive question-and-answer engagements with SEC 48 participants, with members of the Institute’s faculty also contributing policy and strategic perspectives. The engagements formed part of the Defence and Security Week of SEC 48, designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the relationship between national security, economic development, entrepreneurship and Nigeria’s emerging Orange Economy.