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The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd), said the Federal Government was doing everything in its power to ensure lasting peace and security to safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty, preserve democratic institutions and promote national development.
He said that, to strengthen national security, President Bola Tinubu had continued to provide the Armed Forces with the capabilities required to protect the territorial integrity of the nation.
The minister stated this while declaring open the 2nd Policy Colloquium, with the theme: “Strengthening the Sovereign Frontiers: Strategic Defence Architecture, Emerging Technologies and Democratic Integrity in Nigeria.”
The event was organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Saban Media Services.
The minister, while assuring that the insecurity bedevilling the country would soon be over, said:
“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.”
He said, “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.”
The minister, who said the 2026 Policy Colloquium came at a time when Nigeria’s defence and security environment required renewed strategic thinking, institutional adaptation and sustained national commitment, noted that the complex and evolving nature of contemporary threats requires Nigeria to continually reassess its capabilities, strengthen preparedness and remain ahead of developments that could affect its national interests.
He said the colloquium provided an opportunity to deepen strategic discussions on the future of Nigeria’s defence and security architecture.
“The theme of this year’s colloquium, ‘Strengthening the Sovereign Frontiers: Strategic Defence Architecture, Emerging Technologies and Democratic Integrity in Nigeria,’ is particularly relevant to the security realities confronting our nation.
“It speaks to the need for a defence and security posture that remains responsive to changing threats, harnesses technological advancement and reinforces the institutions that underpin our national security and democratic order.”
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Gen. Musa, while noting that Nigeria’s strategic frontier was increasingly being shaped by security challenges across the land, maritime, air and cyber domains, said addressing the challenges required a more integrated defence posture, supported by effective intelligence coordination, joint operations and interoperability among the Armed Forces and other relevant 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 identified technology as an increasingly decisive factor in defence and national security, noting that rapid advances in artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, surveillance and reconnaissance, cyber capabilities and other emerging technologies were transforming military operations and the strategic environment.
The minister said Nigeria must remain at the forefront of these developments by investing in relevant technologies and strengthening the human, doctrinal and institutional capacity required to integrate them into the country’s defence capabilities.
“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.”
While calling on participants to ensure that their deliberations produced practical perspectives and recommendations capable of strengthening Nigeria’s strategic defence posture, the minister commended the organisers for convening the dialogue and sustaining a platform that contributes to national security discourse.
Earlier in her address, the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, said the Policy Colloquium was conceived to serve as a rigorous, non-partisan bridge, bringing together defence strategists, policy architects, technologists, civil society leaders, academics, the media and key state actors under one roof.
She urged participants to bring candour, insight and an unyielding commitment to national purpose to the deliberations.
She said, “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.”
