Despite billions of naira funnelled into defence budgets, the Nigerian military frequently appears as hapless as the civilian population it is sworn to protect.

Troops are overstretched, intelligence is habitually compromised, and conventional infantry tactics are failing against a fluid, asymmetrical enemy. Public anxiety is mounting.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Eastern Ukraine, a radical blueprint for modern survival is being drafted. Facing a severe manpower crisis and relentless aggression, Kyiv has digitised its frontline.

As detailed by CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh, the Ukrainian military is increasingly relying on an unmanned army, a network of reconnaissance drones, remotely piloted ground vehicles, and automated machine-gun nests operated by soldiers sitting in gamer chairs miles away from danger.

If Nigeria is to rescue its citizenry from the brink of total insecurity, the defence headquarters must abandon mid-20th-century conventional warfare.

It must embrace Ukraine’s brutal, brilliant realisation that in the face of a manpower crisis and an elusive enemy, technology must do the bleeding.

The Nigerian military’s current operational model is unsustainable. Soldiers endure gruelling, seemingly endless deployments in hostile terrain like the Sambisa Forest or the Kankara bush, leaving them physically exhausted and psychologically drained.

This mirrors the human toll seen in Ukraine, where frontline soldiers like Crow and Creepy spent nearly a year nonstop in dugouts. In Nigeria, this fatigue leads to catastrophic security lapses, vulnerable outposts, and a reactive military posture that only arrives after villages have been pillaged.

Ukraine’s technological evolution was born out of sheer necessity. By using unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), a single unit, the Third Assault Brigade, achieved the combat efficacy of 2,300 troops using a fraction of the personnel, effectively saving a thousand Ukrainian lives from the meat-grinder of the frontlines.

Now, Nigeria does not need multi-million-dollar fighter jets to turn the tide; it needs a decentralised, tech-driven doctrine.

First, in Ukraine, embedded hardware and software engineers like 22-year-old Gora are the new frontline heroes. They modify cheap, four-wheel chassis robots to carry massive payloads of explosives directly into enemy trenches, machines the enemy has dubbed silent death.

Nigeria boasts one of the most vibrant tech ecosystems in Africa, centred in hubs like Yaba, Lagos. By partnering with local tech talent (think Terra Industries), the Ministry of Defence could mass-manufacture low-cost, rugged UGVs capable of navigating the rough terrain of the North. Instead of sending an infantry platoon to raid a suspected bandit camp, the military could send a vanguard of remote-controlled, explosive-laden rovers.

Secondly, one of the most terrifying aspects of Nigeria’s insecurity is the vulnerability of remote villages and boarding schools. Here, Ukraine’s “Ciber” unit provides a solution. They utilise heavy machine guns mounted on tank tracks that can hide in foliage for days without needing food, water, or sleep.

Deploying static, camouflaged, remotely operated weapon stations around vulnerable border towns and critical infrastructure would provide an instant, lethal deterrent.

Armed with wide-angle thermal cameras, a single remote operator in Abuja or Kaduna could police multiple perimeter checkpoints, cutting off bandit raid routes before they reach civilian centres.

In addition, ambushes on logistics convoys frequently cost the lives of Nigerian troops. Ukraine solves this by strapping ammunition, food, and water onto autonomous resupply robots that trundle down mud paths silently, guided by a pilot miles away in a bunker.

Implementing remote resupply units in theatre operations like Operation Hadin Kai would keep frontline forward operating bases stocked without risking valuable human lives on improvised explosive device (IED)-laden roads.

Moreover, the transition from traditional boots-on-the-ground to remote warfare requires a massive cultural shift. As Ukrainian commander Mykola “Makar” Zinkevych noted, old-school warfare relied on physical discipline and traditional soldiering. Today, technology decides everything.

The Nigerian military hierarchy has historically been rigid, top-heavy, and slow to adapt. To defeat syndicates that utilise modern encryption, social media for ransom negotiations, and highly mobile tech, the military must democratise its innovation.

Nigeria must empower its younger officers and civilian IT experts to build, hack, and deploy commercial drones and local software solutions without waiting for years of bureaucratic procurement.

Nigeria’s security forces cannot afford to continue fighting tomorrow’s war with yesterday’s strategy. The terrifying reality is that terrorists are adapting rapidly, utilising drones for their own surveillance and sophisticated weaponry bought with ransom money.

The military is not inherently helpless, but its current strategy is. By taking a page from Ukraine’s playbook, investing in domestic hardware engineering, deploying a network of silent death ground robots, and replacing vulnerable infantry patrols with eye-in-the-sky drone livestreams, Nigeria can finally shift from a defensive, traumatised posture to an offensive, clinical one.

Innovation is no longer a luxury for the Nigerian military; it is the sole remaining path to survival. Technology must take the place of the soldier on the frontline, so that the citizens may finally sleep in peace.

*Elvis Eromosele, a corporate communications professional and sustainability advocate, wrote via elviseroms@gmail.com.

In his keynote address, at the opening ceremony of a 5-Day training for Information, New Media and Protocol staff of the Agency, drawn from the Headquarters and Institutes, on New Media and Protocol Strategies for a Modern Government Agency in the 21st century, held on Monday at the Exclusive Serene Hotel, Wuye, Abuja, Mr. Halilu said that investing in staff training and development was vital for the success of any organization.

According to him, “We are building a new NASENI where one of the overarching goals is to have well trained employees with knowledge and requisite technical, vocational and management skills required for the Agency’s growth and technology advancement.

“He said this reorientation would equip us to bring to fruition the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration and also the Eight Priority Areas of the administration.”

Buttressing the mandate of the Agency, the NASENI boss noted that the Agency’s mission is to drive Nigeria’s rapid industrialization through the new three Cs of Collaboration, Creation and Commercialization.

He added that in the past four months since he took over the leadership of NASENI, the Agency has embarked on new partnerships and collaborations aimed at turning NASENI’s over 150 scientific and technological prototypes, products and intellectual properties rights (IPR) into finished products.

“We have signed multibillion dollars new Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) and revived old ones with international technical partners to establish coal-based fertilizer plant, Lithium processing and Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant,  Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Agric afforestation, smart solar irrigation, tractor repairs and crop traceability for food security,” he further explained.

He said that the 5-Day intensive training programme will enable information and Protocol staff of the Agency to catch-up with the current trends and international standards required for Mastering the Intricacies of New Media and Protocol Strategies that would take the Agency to greater heights.

“We have assembled about forty-one (41) staff responsible for information and protocol activities from our Headquarters and Institutes to benefit from this training. This training will upskill the crop of staff to communicate our new strategy and partnerships to different publics”, he stated.

He said that he was confident that by the end of the training, the staff of Information, Protocol and New Media Unit would be equipped with requisite skills to be at par with contemporaries in the public and private sectors as well as those in international sphere.

The Coordinating Director, Engineering Infrastructure, Prof. Bagudu Dansheu Gwadangaji who was ably represented by Engr. Dr. Olayode Olasupo urged the Information Staff to adapt to new media and protocol strategies to ensure the continued success and relevance of NASENI.

Encouraging the participants, he said, “Your presence at this training signifies not only personal and professional growth but also a collective effort to enhance our capabilities as a forward-thinking government agency.”

“I encourage you to actively engage in the sessions, collaborate with your peers, and absorb the wealth of knowledge that this training has to offer. The insights gained here will understandably contribute to your skills, allowing you to make valuable contributions to our ICT initiatives, he said.

Also, the Coordinating Director, Science Infrastructure, Prof Umar Ibrahim Gaya stated that the theme of the training was timely as it will equip participants with necessary skills and tools to combat fake news which can affect organizations negatively.

“When you talk about NASENI, so many things come to mind. As an Agency with first line charge from the Federation Account, there is likely to be fake news out there about us. Therefore, this training will help equip the participants to separate information from misinformation and misrepresentation. We hope your deliberations will help the EVC/CEO and Management to achieve the Agency’s mandate. Prof. Gaya added.

In his welcome address, the Director of Information, Protocol and New Media Unit, Mr. Segun Ayeoyenikan commended the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Halilu for making staff motivation, development and productivity top priorities in his agenda since he assumed the position as EVC/CEO barely four Months ago.

He said in an era defined by rapid advancement, the training was a crucial step towards navigating the complexities of digital age, adding that the new slogan in the media profession and business world is “You either communicate or you are easily forgotten, because of the complexities or sophistication of the society wherein we live today”

Throwing more light on the training, he said the training for the Communication and Media arm of the Agency, the first of its kind in 33 years, was indeed timely with the wave of reforms currently sweeping across the Agency with the coming on board of a Technopreneur, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu.

“The Information, New Media and Protocol Department play a critical role of projecting the image, products, mission and vision of the Agency amongst its technology end-users and critical stakeholders”, he said.

“The EVC/CEO has committed to building a 21st century institution built on the 3 core principles of Collaboration, Creation and Commercialization guided by a strategic corporate plan which ensures that NASENI’s human and material resources are optimally harnessed with a view to achieving the Federal Government’s Industrialization drive.

While welcoming the participants to the training, he pointed out that the training marked the beginning of a journey towards an enhanced popularization of digital skills communication and knowledge sharing within the NASENI Headquarters and Institutes’ Information and Protocol, more effectively.

Pointing out that the knowledge acquired from this training promised to reposition NASENI into one of the foremost agencies of the Federal Government, he called on all the participants to see the training as a call to duty and to ensure use of the opportunity and strive for excellence.