NITDA Urges Army to Turn Data Into Battlefield Advantage

"NITDA will provide training and capacity-building programmes for military personnel to equip them with the digital skills required to operate effectively in an increasingly data- and AI-driven security environment." Abdullahi.

.... Says "the initiative reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to supporting national security through technology and strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to harness digital innovation for defence and strategic decision-making."

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has challenged the Nigerian Army to move beyond treating data management as a record-keeping function and begin deploying data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies as strategic tools for intelligence gathering and military decision-making.

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, gave the charge while delivering a keynote address titled “From Data to Decision Advantage: Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future of Warfare” at a Data Management and Record-Keeping Seminar organised by the Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary in Abuja.

Abdullahi said the ability to collect, analyse and transform data into actionable intelligence would increasingly determine operational effectiveness and military advantage in modern warfare.

He urged the Army to integrate AI into its operations, noting that the technology could help military authorities collate, analyse and verify large volumes of information while improving the speed and accuracy of tactical and strategic decisions.

“Globally, the defense industry is changing due to the disruptive power of technology. So we need to look beyond just using data for record-keeping to start thinking of using data management for intelligence and strategic military operations,” he said.

According to him, AI could be integrated into military operations to transform raw data into strategic and tactical information for decision-making.

He further urged the military to embrace emerging technologies as an essential component of national defence readiness, stressing that successful digital transformation required attention to people, processes and appropriate technology.

Abdullahi also called for the development of dedicated digital infrastructure and data centres for the military, saying the Army should strengthen its capacity to develop indigenous defence technologies rather than depend excessively on civilian partnerships.

“The Nigerian army has to consider ways of collaborating with other government agencies and the indigenous tech innovation ecosystem to build defense technology that can help us defend our nation,” he said.

The NITDA chief emphasised the importance of developing a strong digital workforce within the military, urging authorities to improve the digital competencies of personnel to enable them to effectively deploy data and AI for tactical and operational purposes.

He announced that NITDA would provide training and capacity-building programmes for military personnel to equip them with the digital skills required to operate effectively in an increasingly data- and AI-driven security environment.

Abdullahi said the initiative reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to supporting national security through technology and strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to harness digital innovation for defence and strategic decision-making.