Olufemi Oluyede Biography
Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede was born February 28, 1968, in Ekiti State, Nigeria. He is a senior Nigerian Army officer from Ikere, Ekiti State. He has served in frontline commands and staff roles and rose through the ranks over three decades of service. Olufemi Oluyede is 57 years old as of 2025.
He entered the military as a cadet at the Nigerian Defence Academy and spent decades learning the crafts of leadership, tactics and soldier care. Over the years Oluyede built a reputation for steady calm under pressure and for focusing on the practical needs of troops in the field. News coverage of his life highlights a steady rise through the army’s ranks and repeated service in difficult operational areas.
Those who have worked with him say Olufemi Oluyede prefers direct, hands-on leadership. He is known for visiting forward units, listening to soldiers, and pushing for better training and logistics where problems show up. Olufemi Oluyede is married to Mernan Femi Oluyede. and together they’re blessd with three children.
Olufemi Oluyede Career
Oluyede began his military journey at the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of the 39th Regular Course. He entered cadet training in 1987 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the early 1990s after completing the academy’s course work and military training. From those first steps he moved steadily through roles that blended frontline command with important staff appointments. Early in his career he served as a platoon commander and then as a company commander in elite units. Those early command posts gave him real experience in leadership, small-unit tactics and the close teamwork that defines successful military units.
As his career advanced, Oluyede took on larger commands and more complex responsibilities. He served with the Guards Brigade and held staff roles that deepened his knowledge of the army’s organizational needs. He later became commandant of the Amphibious Training School, where training and readiness for coastal and riverine operations are taught. He also commanded the 27 Task Force Brigade under Operation HADIN KAI, the military campaign against insurgent groups in Nigeria’s northeast. That role placed him squarely in the most difficult operational theatre of recent years, where insurgency, fluid frontlines and the need to protect civilians require both force and careful planning.
Oluyede’s record includes both domestic operations and participation in international peacekeeping missions. Reports note his service on ECOMOG missions in West Africa and other regional deployments, which exposed him to multinational operations and the complexities of working with partners under stress. Such assignments are useful for senior leaders because they teach diplomacy, logistics on a larger scale, and how to coordinate with non-military organizations. Throughout, observers say Oluyede combined a practical focus on soldiers’ needs with an awareness of the political and humanitarian dimensions of modern security work.
A key highlight of his progression was command of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps at Jaji, Kaduna State, a post that carries large responsibilities for training, doctrine and the readiness of infantry units across the country. The infantry remains the backbone of land operations, and leading the corps provided him a platform to influence training standards and operational priorities. Later promotions reflected that experience: he rose to the rank of Major General and then to Lieutenant General as he assumed senior national roles. Media coverage and official statements emphasize his steady, broad-based experience across command, training and operational work.
Olufemi Oluyede Appointment
On 24 October 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a major reshuffle of Nigeria’s military leadership and appointed Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). This appointment placed him at the head of the entire Nigerian Armed Forces, making him the principal military adviser to the President and the civilian government on defence matters. The move came as part of a wider change of service chiefs designed to renew energy and coordination across the Army, Navy and Air Force in the face of persistent security challenges. Reuters and other major outlets covered the announcement as a significant shift in leadership.
Oluyede had already been serving at the highest levels of the army before this promotion. On 30 October 2024 he was appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff by the President, a temporary elevation that was followed by confirmation and assumption of the full duties in December 2024. His time as Chief of Army Staff put him in charge of the army’s operational direction and internal reforms during a tense period for national security. Observers view his promotion to Chief of Defence Staff as part of a logic: move experienced commanders with recent operational leadership into roles where they can shape strategy and improve joint action among the services.
Public statements at the time of his appointment emphasized the priorities likely to shape Oluyede’s tenure. These include improving inter-service coordination so the army, navy and air force operate more smoothly together; strengthening intelligence sharing so information is available faster to commanders in the field; and improving troop morale and logistics so soldiers have both the will and the means to sustain operations. In a security environment where threats range from insurgency in the northeast to banditry in other regions and maritime risks along the coast, these goals aim to make the armed forces more agile and effective. Media reports and presidential statements framed the appointments as urgent moves to respond to rising security concerns.
Analysts note several immediate challenges for Oluyede as CDS. First is to translate battlefield gains and operational experience into broader, sustainable strategies that protect civilians and allow space for humanitarian and development work. Second is to improve the practical systems that support operations: logistics, equipment maintenance, medical care and troop rotations. Third is to deepen the quality of intelligence collection and inter-agency cooperation, since many recent failures have been blamed on weak information flow and poor coordination. Oluyede’s mix of frontline command experience and training roles gives him credibility with officers and, potentially, with civilian leaders who demand faster, measurable security improvements.
There is also a political context to the appointment. The reshuffle came in a period when the government faced public pressure to improve security, and when rumours of plots or unrest had heightened anxieties. Replacing service chiefs is a clear signal from the presidency that leadership change is on the table when results are not fast enough. For Oluyede, this means a public expectation not just of steady command but of visible results. The new CDS must balance the short-term need for operations with long-term reforms that build capability and public confidence in the armed forces.
Conclusion
Olufemi Oluyede’s steady rise from a cadet in the Nigerian Defence Academy to the country’s Chief of Defence Staff shows a career built on long service, varied command experience, and a focus on training and unit readiness. His appointments reflect both recognition of his operational achievements and a broader strategy by the government to place experienced leaders where they can reshape military performance. The coming months will test his ability to turn operational knowledge into national-level strategy: improving joint operations, boosting logistics and intelligence, and restoring public confidence.
FAQs
When did Oluyede become Chief of Defence Staff?
President Bola Tinubu appointed Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff on 24 October 2025 as part of a major change in military leadership.
What senior roles did Oluyede hold before becoming CDS?
Before his CDS appointment, Oluyede served as Chief of Army Staff (appointed acting COAS on 30 October 2024 and confirmed in December 2024), commander of the Infantry Corps, and leader of key brigades and training schools. He also led operations in the northeast under Operation HADIN KAI.
What are his top priorities as Chief of Defence Staff?
Public reports suggest his early priorities will be improving coordination among army, navy and air force units, strengthening intelligence sharing, and fixing logistics and troop welfare to boost morale and effectiveness.
How will his appointment affect Nigeria’s security strategy?
His appointment signals a push for more professional, coordinated military action. Observers expect a focus on joint operations, better information flows, and operational reforms. The real test will be whether these changes reduce attacks and improve security outcomes in troubled regions.
Fred Justin is a journalist and writer who focuses on local food and cooking. For nine years he has reported on neighborhood restaurants, farmers’ markets, recipes, and food trends, helping readers find great places to eat and understand how food is made. He holds a BSc and an MSc in Food Science and Biotechnology, which gives him scientific expertise in ingredients, food safety, and production that strengthens his writing.
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