The Commandant of the National Defence College, NDC, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, has called for stronger support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, to enhance the College’s research capacity and overhaul its curriculum in line with emerging security threats and the growing relevance of Artificial Intelligence, AI.
Ahmed made the appeal during a high-level visit to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, at the Fund’s headquarters in Abuja.
The visit also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, covering several strategic areas of collaboration.
According to him, the support being sought would help consolidate the NDC’s role as the nation’s premier security training institution.
“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.
He disclosed that upon assuming office, he ordered a comprehensive review of the College’s curriculum, noting that TETFund’s expertise and intervention would be critical in achieving the level of excellence he envisions.
The revised curriculum, he explained, places strong emphasis on Artificial Intelligence, strategic thinking and policy development—key components needed to respond to modern warfare and national security dynamics.
The Commandant further noted that the NDC remains a leading centre for strategic research and journal publications, many of which are peer-reviewed across Africa and recognised globally.
He appealed to TETFund to support the College’s research publications and deepen its capacity for knowledge production.
Ahmed also used the visit to commend TETFund for its infrastructural interventions in the NDC and tertiary institutions across the country.
In his response, TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, affirmed the Fund’s commitment to supporting the College, stating that the MoU reflects a broad and ambitious partnership between both institutions.
He stressed the importance of investing in institutions that drive research, national development and security advancement.
Echono paid tribute to members of the armed forces for their sacrifices in safeguarding the nation, noting that many continue to pay the highest price in service to Nigeria.
He also recalled his longstanding association with the NDC dating back to his time as Director of Procurement at the Ministry of Defence in 2008 and 2009, during which he supervised key infrastructure projects for the College.
He noted that TETFund has since remained actively involved in supporting the NDC’s programmes and facilities.
Highlighting the importance of the partnership, Echono revealed that TETFund recently expanded its research mandate to include a thematic area dedicated to the military and intelligence sector.
“As the apex military training institution in the country, it is only natural that you lead in the area of intelligence and research. That is why last year we broadened our research interventions to include military and intelligence studies, and we have institutionalised funding for it,” he said.
He added that many of the world’s scientific advancements originated from military research, citing the Global Positioning System, GPS, as one example of military innovation that later transformed civilian life.
TETFund, he said, is committed to supporting the military not only in kinetic operations but in deeper intellectual, scientific and technological contributions to national development.
Echono reaffirmed the Fund’s readiness to strengthen the NDC’s capabilities and deepen the College’s impact in addressing Nigeria’s complex and fast-changing security landscape.
