General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), Nigeria’s minister of Defence, has called on the country’s technology ecosystem to play a central role in addressing national security challenges, stressing that future defence capabilities will depend as much on innovation and technology as on conventional military assets.
Speaking at the Omniverse Africa 3.0 Summit in Lagos, the Defence Minister challenged innovators, startups, researchers, and technology entrepreneurs to develop indigenous solutions that can strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and reduce dependence on foreign defence technologies.
Delivering a keynote address titled “The 70/30 Rule: Why Nigeria’s Security and Innovation Agendas are the Same National Project,” Musa argued that modern security threats require a new approach that combines military capability with technological innovation, industrial development, and strategic foresight.
“The future requires us to complement courage with technology, foresight, industrial capability, and innovation,” the minister said, emphasizing the need for Nigeria to transition from being a consumer of defence technologies to becoming a producer of strategic capabilities.
Security in the Age of AI and Robotics
According to Musa, the Ministry of Defence is already implementing reforms designed to position emerging technologies at the heart of Nigeria’s defence strategy.
These efforts focus on areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, unmanned systems, cybersecurity, surveillance technologies, secure communications, and data-driven decision-making tools.
He noted that traditional military hardware alone can no longer adequately address the complex and evolving nature of contemporary security threats, making technology innovation an essential component of national security planning.
The minister also linked the initiative to the Federal Government’s broader industrialisation agenda, noting that reforms at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria are aimed at creating a sustainable ecosystem where defence investments stimulate economic growth, support research and development, create high-value jobs, and encourage local manufacturing.
Defence Meets Innovation Ecosystem
A major highlight of the summit was the launch of the Defence Futures Lab Pathway, an initiative designed to foster collaboration between the armed forces, academia, startups, and technology innovators.
Musa explained that the platform is intended to serve as a strategic innovation hub rather than a procurement programme, providing stakeholders with an opportunity to explore emerging technologies and develop long-term solutions capable of strengthening Nigeria’s defence capabilities.
Participants are expected to reconvene in the coming months to assess progress, evaluate proposed solutions, and align innovations with national security priorities.
The Defence Minister’s call at Omniverse Africa 3.0 signals a growing recognition that national security and technological innovation are increasingly intertwined.
As cyber threats, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and digital warfare reshape global defence strategies, Nigeria is seeking to build local capabilities that can support both security objectives and economic development.
For Nigeria’s growing technology ecosystem, the message is clear: the next frontier for innovation may not only be fintech, e-commerce, or telecommunications, but also the development of homegrown technologies capable of securing the nation’s future.
