NITDA Urges Nigerian Army to Harness Data, AI for Strategic Defence

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has urged the Nigerian Army to leverage data and artificial intelligence (AI) as strategic assets to strengthen intelligence gathering, decision-making and operational effectiveness.

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, made the call while speaking on the theme, “From Data to Decision Advantage: Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Warfare,” at the Nigerian Army’s 4th Data Management and Record Keeping Seminar 2026.

Inuwa said the growing role of technology in modern warfare makes it imperative for military institutions to embrace data-driven systems and artificial intelligence to improve their operations.

He noted that AI would not replace military personnel but warned that institutions and individuals that fail to embrace emerging technologies risk being left behind.

According to him, intelligent automation can help reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, streamline workflows and enable military officers to focus more on critical strategic and operational responsibilities.

The NITDA chief also called for stronger digital sovereignty in Nigeria’s defence sector, cautioning against excessive dependence on foreign commercial platforms.

He advocated increased investment in sovereign digital infrastructure and stronger partnerships between the military and civilian technology ecosystem to develop indigenous technologies capable of addressing Nigeria’s security needs.

Inuwa further recommended an enterprise-wide approach to digital transformation, beginning with clearly defined objectives, optimised processes and a skilled workforce.

He stressed that the future of warfare would not simply depend on who possesses the largest volume of data, but on who can effectively transform data into actionable insights, convert those insights into decisions and implement those decisions faster.