The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa has said the use of technology was critical to combating insecurity in Nigeria.
Inuwa stated this when he played host to the Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi, Benue, state, North-central, Nigeria at the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.
He noted that with the advent of artificial intelligence, automated vehicles and drones, amongst many other hi-tech innovations and technology would make the war against terrorism in Nigeria easy.
The DG said: “It is important to know how to use technology not just as an enabler but as a strategic design which inspires you to do more”.
“NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024) is built on seven pillars with their respective goals and objectives, which are; Developmental Regulations, Digital Literacy and Skills, Digital Transformation, Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies, and Promotion of Indigenous Content,” he stated.
Inuwa explained that the Agency’s focus was to improve how things were being done using technology and innovation by creating an enabling environment and an innovation ecosystem for smooth digitised process.
Proffer solutions
He said the Agency was ready to collaborate with NACEST to deploy technological innovations to combat and proffer solutions to the country’s rising case of insecurity.
He said; Innovation does not happen in isolation but rather, with proper alignment and positioning in a relevant ecosystem which necessitated the proposed collaboration between the two parties.
He said there was cross pollination between ICT and the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Sciences and Technology (NACEST).
“The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, a subsidiary of the Agency is fostering the development of emerging technologies in preparing Nigeria for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in which NACEST can partner in research, development of technologies like drones, robotics, Artificial Intelligence etc as a veritable tool in combating National insecurity,” he elucidated.
The Rector Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi, Brigadier General Yahaya Abdulhamid in his remark noted that the school was one of the Polytechnics that run Diploma Programme in Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
Ensuring Quality
He said NACEST was regulated by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), a National body mandated with the responsibility of ensuring quality of all Diploma certificated programmes in Nigeria.
He further stated that the school employed the Information Communications Technology (ICT) in the Computer Engineering laboratory, Computer Science Laboratory, E-Library, ICT centre, Management Information System (MIS), editing and Advertising Laboratory, Resource centre, Television and Radio Studios among others.
“We cannot have the best in what we are doing until we link our activities, operations and processes to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which will provide us a path way towards achieving our goals and objectives, which everything we do technology drives in achieving it.”
“Nigerian Army College of Environmental Sciences and Technology is diverting from the theoretical process and focusing more on the practical aspects to enable us provide solutions to our problems, ” he stated.
AbdulHamid commended the NITDA for the various IT interventions deployed across the country towards the growth and development of IT.
He said technology has played a critical role in the advancement of the country’s National security and would do more in future.
Lateefah Ibrahim
