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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd), has said Nigeria must continually strengthen its military capabilities and embrace emerging technologies to stay ahead of increasingly complex security threats.
Musa said rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, surveillance and reconnaissance and cyber capabilities were transforming warfare and the global security environment, making military modernisation imperative.
He spoke while declaring open the 2nd Policy Colloquium themed, “Strengthening the Sovereign Frontiers: Strategic Defence Architecture, Emerging Technologies and Democratic Integrity in Nigeria,” organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Saban Media Services.
The minister said the Federal Government was doing everything within its powers to achieve lasting peace and security, safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty, preserve democratic institutions and promote national development.
He said President Bola Tinubu had continued to provide the Armed Forces with capabilities required to protect the country’s territorial integrity.
“This strategic direction recognises that a secure and stable Nigeria is essential to the protection of our sovereignty, the preservation of our democratic institutions and the advancement of national development.
“In line with this priority, the Ministry of Defence remains focused on strengthening defence capabilities, advancing military modernisation and ensuring that the Armed Forces are adequately positioned to respond to the demands of the security environment,” he said.
Musa expressed optimism that the security challenges confronting the country would be overcome, but stressed that the complex and evolving nature of contemporary threats required constant reassessment of Nigeria’s capabilities and preparedness.
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According to him, Nigeria’s strategic frontier was increasingly being shaped by threats across the land, maritime, air and cyber domains, requiring a more integrated defence posture backed by effective intelligence coordination, joint operations and interoperability among the Armed Forces and other security institutions.
“Our defence architecture must remain agile and forward-looking, with the capacity to anticipate threats, respond decisively and protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity and vital national interests,” he said.
Musa identified technology as an increasingly decisive factor in defence and national security, saying Nigeria must invest in emerging technologies and strengthen the human, doctrinal and institutional capacity needed to integrate them into military operations.
“This is essential to maintaining operational advantage and preparing the Armed Forces for future security challenges. The advancement of technology also underscores the strategic importance of strengthening Nigeria’s defence industrial base,” he said.
The minister said the 2026 Policy Colloquium provided an opportunity to deepen discussions on the future of Nigeria’s defence and security architecture.
He urged participants to produce practical recommendations capable of strengthening the country’s strategic defence posture.
Earlier, Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, said the colloquium was conceived as a non-partisan platform bringing together defence strategists, policymakers, technologists, civil society leaders, academics, the media and key state actors.
“We are not assembled here today merely to catalogue challenges, but to forge actionable pathways, inform public policy and construct a practical blueprint for national resilience,” she said.
