The Director of Research and Development at the Naval Headquarters, Commodore Tunde Muftau Abdulrahim, recently delivered a lecture titled “Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Military: Nigerian Navy (NN) in Perspective” to participants of Command Level Officers’ Course 9 of the Naval War College Nigeria (NWCN). The lecture, held at the College Auditorium, examined the strategic applications of AI in contemporary military operations, with particular focus on its relevance to the NN.
During the lecture, Commodore TM Abdulrahim identified AI as an emerging force multiplier capable of improving situational awareness, accelerating data analysis and supporting timely operational decisions. He noted that integrating AI-driven technologies into naval operations could enhance the NN’s operational capability to detect, assess and respond to threats within Nigeria’s maritime domain. The Guest Speaker further identified prospective applications of AI in intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, unmanned maritime systems, fleet maintenance, operational planning among others. He explained that effective integration of these technologies could improve resource utilization and strengthen NN’s capacity to secure Nigeria’s maritime interests. On legal and ethical considerations, the Guest Speaker stressed the need for compliance with applicable international humanitarian law and relevant national legislation. He stressed that human oversight, responsibility, and accountability must remain central to decisions involving the use of force, notwithstanding advances in autonomous and AI-enabled systems.
In his remarks, the Commandant NWCN, Rear Admiral MA Muye, expressed appreciation to the Guest Speaker for delivering the lecture. He noted that the lecture had provided participants with valuable insights into the operational implications of emerging technologies and underscored the importance of technological adaptation. He urged the participants to internalize the lessons from the lecture for future application.
