‎The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has advised the Nigerian Army to stop treating data management as a mere record-keeping exercise and instead harness it as a strategic tool for gathering information and intelligence, stressing that the ability to convert data into actionable insight will define military advantage in modern warfare.
‎The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, gave the charge while delivering a keynote presentation titled “From Data to Decision Advantage: Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future of Warfare” at the Data Management and Record-Keeping Seminar organised by the Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary in Abuja.
‎He told the participants at the seminar that data, when properly managed and analysed, offers far more value beyond administrative documentation and should instead reinforce intelligence gathering and operational planning.
‎The NITDA DG also urged the military to adopt Artificial Intelligence as a strategic and tactical decision-making platform for defence operations, noting that AI-driven analysis can sharpen the speed and accuracy of decisions made on the battlefield and at the command level.
‎Abdullahi further called on the army authorities to integrate and adopt emerging technologies more broadly across its security and strategic defence operations, positioning technology adoption as central to national defence readiness rather than a peripheral upgrade.
‎“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.
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‎“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.
‎“So, it is important to rethink the way we use technology to transform our institutions. To transform an organization, you need to take cognisance of the people, the process, and the proper technology to adopt,’’ he said. 
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‎He also emphasised the need for the Nigerian military to begin building its own dedicated defence digital infrastructure and data centres, pointing out that the armed forces currently rely on partnerships with civilian entities to develop defence technologies for their operations.
‎According to the DG, “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.’’
‎On capacity building, Abdullahi advised military authorities to develop a robust digital transformation skillset and upgrade the digital competence of military personnel, describing this as a necessary foundation for the military to fully exploit data and AI capabilities for tactical and operational purposes.
‎The DG announced that NITDA will provide training and capacity-building initiatives to equip military personnel with the relevant digital skills needed for the emerging data- and AI-driven defence landscape, reaffirming the Agency’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s national security through technology.
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