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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called on the Nigerian Army to move beyond using data primarily for record-keeping and begin treating it as a strategic asset for intelligence, operational planning and defence decision-making.
NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, made the call 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 Nigerian Army’s Department of Military Secretary in Abuja.
Inuwa said effective data management could provide the military with significant advantages when data is properly collected, analysed and transformed into actionable intelligence.
He urged the Army to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its decision-making processes, noting that AI-powered tools could support the analysis, verification and interpretation of large volumes of information for tactical and strategic purposes.
According to him, the increasing role of technology in defence globally makes digital transformation an important component of national security and military readiness.
“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.
Inuwa explained that AI could help the military turn large volumes of data into useful intelligence capable of supporting decision-making at different levels of operations.
“Today, we can use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help us collate, analyse, verify, and apply data in our military operations. We can integrate AI to help transform data into strategic and tactical information for decision-making,” he said.
Technology, people and processes
The NITDA chief stressed that successful digital transformation would require more than the deployment of new technologies.
He said institutions must consider the interaction between people, processes and technology when developing digital transformation strategies.
“To transform an organisation, you need to take cognisance of the people, the process, and the proper technology to adopt,” he said.
He therefore encouraged the Nigerian Army to develop a broader technology adoption strategy that integrates emerging technologies into its security, intelligence and defence operations.
The approach, he said, would help position technology as a core component of national defence capability rather than simply an administrative or infrastructure upgrade.
NITDA advocates indigenous defence technology
Inuwa also urged the Nigerian Army to explore the development of dedicated digital infrastructure and technology capabilities for defence operations.
He noted the importance of reducing reliance on external systems and strengthening collaboration between the military, government institutions and Nigeria’s indigenous technology ecosystem.
According to him, stronger collaboration could support the development of locally relevant defence technologies while strengthening the country’s technological capacity.
“The Nigerian Army has to consider ways of collaborating with other government agencies and the indigenous tech innovation ecosystem to build defence technology that can help us defend our nation,” he said.
Such collaboration could create opportunities for Nigerian technology companies, research institutions and government agencies to contribute to solutions addressing the country’s security and defence requirements.
Building digital skills for military personnel
The NITDA DG further identified digital skills and capacity building as critical to the successful adoption of data-driven technologies within the military.
He urged military authorities to strengthen the digital competence of personnel so they can effectively use emerging technologies, including AI and advanced data-management tools, in tactical and operational environments.
He said having the right skills would be essential for ensuring that investments in digital infrastructure translate into practical improvements in military operations.
Inuwa disclosed that NITDA would support training and capacity-building initiatives aimed at equipping military personnel with relevant digital skills for an increasingly data- and AI-driven defence environment.
The commitment forms part of the Agency’s broader efforts to promote digital transformation and strengthen the role of technology in supporting Nigeria’s institutional and national security objectives.
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