The Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mal. Kashifu Inuwa has urged Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi, Brig. Gen. Yahaya Abdulhamid to leverage technology such as Artificial Intelligence and bring solution to the country’s security challenges.
The NITDA DG, who hosted the Rector in Abuja recently believes that the use of technology in combating insecurity in the country can never be overemphasized.
According to him, with the advent of artificial intelligence, automated vehicles and drones amongst many other hi-tech innovations in fighting war, it is important to know how to use technology not just as an enabler but as a strategic design for your strategy in general which will inspire you to do more.
“Our idea is to improve how things are being done using technology and innovation by creating an enabling environment and an innovation ecosystem that will allow a smooth digitized process. We are also willing to collaborate with NACEST to deploy technologies to combat and proffer solutions to the country’s rising issue of insecurity,” Mal. Inuwa assured.
He added that NITDA already has a Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024), which is built on seven pillars with their respective goals and objectives. The pillars are; Developmental Regulations, Digital Literacy and Skills, Digital Transformation, Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies, and Promotion of Indigenous Content,” he added.
He averred that innovation does not happen in isolation but rather, with proper alignment and positioning in a relevant ecosystem which necessitates the proposed collaboration between the two parties, adding that there is 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.
Meanwhile, the Rector Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi, Brigadier General Yahaya Abdulhamid in his remark noted that the school is one of the Polytechnics that run Diploma Programme in Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
He said the College is regulated by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), a National body mandated with the responsibility to ensure the quality of all Diploma certificated programmes in Nigeria.
He further disclosed that the school employs 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.
“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 NITDA for the various IT interventions deployed across the country towards the growth and development of IT which plays a critical role for the advancement of the country and also towards National security.
