According to news reports, The Nigerian Army has declared its intentions to escalate its partnership with the Defence Research and Development Bureau (DRDB) and the Defence Space Administration (DSA) to boost its operations and maintain a formidable presence in cyberspace and space domains.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, shared this information during a meeting with the Director-General of DRDB, Major General Emmanuel Ndagi, and Chief of Defence Space Administration, Air Vice Marshall Abdullahi Shinkafi at the Army Headquarters in Abuja on September 7th, 2023.

Lt-General Lagbaja, in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-General Onyema Nwachukwu, acknowledged the enormous task of the DRDB in coordinating Armed Forces of Nigeria’s Research & Development efforts and expressed the readiness of the NA to partner with the Bureau to sustain ongoing research and development efforts into Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) apparatus, to safe lives and protect equipment in the field.  In addition, he mentioned that the partnership with DSA would ensure that the Army maintains a formidable presence in the cyberspace and space sectors, as both domains were significant in modern warfare.

According to the COAS, it is paramount for the Army to develop the requisite competencies to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria against any cyber threats and attacks; as such, partnering with the DRDB will provide a requisite platform for the Army to leverage cutting-edge technologies, strategies and practices to enhance its operations, and the DSA products will be extended to all formations and units strengthen the conduct of land operations.

In his address, the Director-General of DRDB, Major General Emmanuel Ndagi, said their visit to the army headquarters was aimed at strengthening the Bureau’s collaboration with the Army, stressing that the overarching mandate of the Bureau is to coordinate the research and development activities of the Armed Forces, with emphasis on developing indigenous technological capacity

The Chief of Defence Space Administration (DSA), Air Vice Marshall Ahmed Shinkafi, lauded the Nigerian Army’s support for infrastructural development and space and cyber warfare at the DSA.