Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has directed the Armed Forces to embrace artificial intelligence and advanced surveillance technologies to strengthen operations against emerging security threats.
Oluyede gave the directive on Friday in Kaduna while inaugurating the Nigerian Defence Academy Command Centre and three other projects at the academy.
The other projects inaugurated were the expanded and remodelled RSM Oliver Nzalgana Parade Ground, a newly constructed 500-capacity Ashanti Battalion Cadets’ Mess and the renovated Ribadu Auditorium.
The CDS said the changing nature of security threats required the military to continuously adapt its strategies and make greater use of technology to improve operational effectiveness.
According to him, advanced technological systems would enable the Armed Forces to process intelligence faster, strengthen situational awareness and respond more effectively to security threats.
“The development of professional and effective armed forces requires sustained attention to training, structure, welfare, discipline and technological innovation,” Oluyede said.
He described the new command centre as a critical component of the academy’s security architecture, stressing that technology had become central to modern military operations.
Oluyede specifically identified artificial intelligence and sophisticated surveillance systems as technologies the military could no longer afford to overlook in protecting personnel, critical infrastructure and the country.
He said the newly inaugurated facilities reflected the Armed Forces’ efforts to improve infrastructure, military training, welfare and technological capacity.
The CDS also urged the academy’s management and users of the facilities to ensure proper maintenance and responsible utilisation.
He called for accountability in the management of the facilities and commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the development of the Armed Forces.
Earlier, the Commandant of the NDA, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, said the projects represented investments in the training, welfare, development and security of cadets and members of the academy community.
Olatoye disclosed that the newly inaugurated Command Centre was equipped with artificial intelligence-enabled closed-circuit television surveillance technology.
He said the system would strengthen security within the academy by improving real-time situational awareness and the protection of cadets, staff and critical infrastructure.
“These projects are consistent with our broader objective of building an academy that is fit for purpose, innovative, secure and responsive to the demands of contemporary military training and education,” Olatoye said.
He explained that the renovation of the Ribadu Auditorium followed a fire outbreak on July 9, 2026, while the expanded parade ground was designed to improve facilities for military drills, ceremonial activities and other academy events.
The commandant added that the new cadets’ mess would improve dining and welfare arrangements while providing a suitable environment for professional interaction and the inculcation of discipline among cadets.
