By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Army has commenced moves to strengthen local technological capacity in unmanned aerial systems and drone technology as part of efforts to enhance national security and tackle terrorism, insurgency and banditry.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, made the disclosure on Friday, September 18, 2026, during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in Abuja.
Shaibu stressed the need to develop indigenous expertise in drone technology, noting that specialised training for Army personnel would help create a pool of skilled professionals capable of driving local innovation in unmanned aerial systems.
“This will help us establish indigenous companies for the development of unmanned aerial systems and reduce reliance on foreign military training,” the COAS said.
He commended the PTDF for its longstanding contribution to human capacity development and acknowledged the Fund’s support for Command Secondary Schools.
The Executive Secretary of the PTDF, Professor Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu, commended the Nigerian Army for its sacrifices in safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and pledged to deepen collaboration with the military.
Aliyu said the PTDF would establish a modern ICT centre for digital skills training at the proposed Command Science Secondary School in Kaduna, while highlighting ongoing collaboration under the PTDF In-Country Scholarship Scheme at the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He also sought the Army’s support in protecting PTDF’s strategic national assets and regional centres of excellence in Kaduna and Afam, advocating a formal security framework between both institutions for rapid emergency response and the protection of staff, students and infrastructure.
