Artificial Intelligence To Be Integrated Into NDC Curriculum—Commandant

The National Defence College (NDC) is set to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its curriculum, following a partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, Commandant of NDC, announced during a visit to TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Arc Sonny Echono, in Abuja on Tuesday.

He explained that the integration is part of efforts to enhance the college’s research capacity and curriculum, enabling it to address evolving security challenges in Nigeria.

Ahmed, who is the 22nd Commandant of the College, stated that the focus of the curriculum review is the application of AI, strategic thinking, and policymaking.

“The support will enable us to deepen our research capacity and ensure that our curriculum remains relevant to the evolving national security challenges,” he said.

Ahmed revealed that on assumption of duty, he initiated a review of the curriculum, expressing a strong belief that with support and input from TETFund, the college would attain the standard he had envisioned.

He added that the focus of the curriculum review is the application of artificial intelligence, strategic thinking and policymaking.

According to him, as an apex security training institution in the country, the college is involved in strategic research and journal publications, which are peer-reviewed in Africa and of global standard, appealing to the TETFund boss for the sponsorship of the publications.

He added that the visit was also to appreciate TETFund for its intervention in infrastructure development, not only in the college but also in tertiary institutions across the country.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono, in his remark, said the MoU signed covered broad areas of collaboration between the National Defence College and Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

He underscored the need to continue to support institutions like the National Defence College and others that are promoting research and also advancing the overall development of the country.

Echono used the occasion to commend
men and women in uniform who are making very difficult sacrifices to keep the nation safe and protect Nigerians, some of whom are also paying the high price.

“As the apex military training institution in the country, it’s only natural that you will lead in the area of intelligence and research, which is why only last year, TETFund decided to expand the scope of its research interventions to include a new thematic area called the military and intelligence sector. That has been institutionalised, and we allocate resources for it,” he said.

Speaking further on the imperative of collaboration, Echono said all over the world, most of the advances in science have their origin in the military, citing the Global Positioning System (GPS) being used today to find locations, among others, which are developed as part of military science.

He, therefore, expressed the commitment of TETFund to help advance and elevate the level of contributions of the military beyond the kinetic protection that they provide for the nation to other areas, including exploring avenues for growth and development of the country.