By Felix Khanoba
The Nigerian Army has sought the support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in its drive to develop a large pool of drone warfare experts in the country.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, made the appeal during a courtesy visit by the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Shaibu, who commended TETFund for its support to the Nigerian Army School of Engineering, Makurdi, and the Nigerian Army University, Biu, described the visit as timely and significant.
He noted that stronger institutional collaboration would help bridge critical gaps in military technology and manpower development.
“I am most grateful for this opportunity to strengthen collaboration with TETFund,” he said.
The army chief disclosed that the Nigerian Army was intensifying efforts in drone warfare and armament development but was constrained by inadequate skilled manpower.
“We are pushing more in the area of drone warfare and armament development, and we are also looking at sponsoring children to become pioneers in these areas, but the requisite manpower is lacking. So we are seeking your help in that area,” he said.
He stressed that greater investment in intellectual capacity and technical training would enhance Nigeria’s ability to develop indigenous military technology and defence systems.
“The more we continue importing arms, it will remain difficult for us until we begin producing our own,” he said.
Shaibu also praised TETFund’s contributions to the transformation of Nigeria’s education sector, noting that sustained investment in human capital development remains vital to national growth.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Nigerian Army in the areas of education, security and technological advancement.
Echono, who emphasised the importance of sustained partnership in creating a safer environment for educational institutions and promoting national development, said the visit was also aimed at appreciating the military’s strategic role in safeguarding the nation and supporting growth in the education sector.
According to him, the Armed Forces are no longer limited to security operations alone but are increasingly becoming key players in technological innovation and educational development across the country.
“We also want to underscore the role the military is playing in our education sector. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with the military,” he added.
Echono further highlighted the growing relevance of emerging technologies and disclosed that TETFund was interested in leveraging military-driven innovations.
“As technology advances, a lot of technological innovations are being carried out by the military and we are looking forward to exploring areas such as robotics, Artificial Intelligence and other advancements being pioneered by the military,” he said.
He assured the Nigerian Army of the agency’s readiness to continue supporting initiatives aligned with Nigeria’s broader development agenda.
“We want to reiterate our assurances that we will continue to support the Armed Forces in every way possible,” he stated.
