The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has called on Nigeria’s Armed Forces to urgently embrace indigenous technology and innovation as a cornerstone of national security.
Delivering his message at the Nigerian Navy Seminar on Research and Development in Abuja on Thursday, Ogalla — represented by the Chief of Communication and Information Technology (Navy), Rear Admiral Hamza Kaoje — warned that continued reliance on foreign suppliers for military hardware, spare parts and technical expertise exposed Nigeria to strategic vulnerabilities.
“Our long-term security demands solutions developed by Nigerian minds, tailored to Nigerian realities, and manufactured by Nigerian industries,” Ogalla declared. “This is not about prestige; it is a matter of strategic necessity.”
He identified Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, unmanned surface and underwater vehicles, cyber warfare capabilities, and satellite surveillance systems as technologies essential for modern maritime defence.
Nigeria, he stressed, must evolve from being a passive consumer of imported equipment to becoming a co-creator of advanced naval technologies and a regional leader in innovation.
Ogalla further listed radars, drones, secure communications systems and navigation technologies as critical areas for accelerated domestic research and production.
He also urged investment in shipbuilding, retrofitting legacy platforms with local expertise, and establishing technology incubation hubs in collaboration with private industry.
While acknowledging progress achieved by the Naval Dockyard Limited and Naval Shipyard Limited, he emphasised the need for a more coordinated and deliberate push towards technological self-sufficiency.
“The battle for maritime security and dominance will no longer be won by numerical superiority alone,” he cautioned. “Our success will depend on superior innovation, intelligence, adaptability, and technological sophistication.”
Earlier, the Chief Transformation (Navy), Rear Admiral Monday Unurhiere, underscored the enduring role of technology in shaping military outcomes, noting that effective harnessing of innovation has historically determined the results of conflicts.
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