Navy plans research institute to build homegrown military technology

The Nigerian Navy is planning to establish a research institute and research and development units across its commands, its top officer said on Thursday, with the aim of building military technology at home, cutting costs and strengthening its ability to fight.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, announced the plan in a keynote address at the Navy's 2026 Research and Development Seminar at Naval Headquarters in Abuja.

Abbas said the move is meant to turn research by naval personnel into practical, affordable answers to problems the service faces at sea and on land.

Why it matters

For ordinary Nigerians, the Navy's argument is about money and security. Rear Admiral Chijioke Onyemaobi, the Chief of Naval Transformation and Innovation, said the rising cost of imported ships and spare parts, and long waits for supplies, make local capacity necessary.

"A navy that depends entirely on others for its technology cannot fully control its own readiness," Onyemaobi said.

Abbas said the goal is not simply to buy more technology but to get more results from the resources available. He said technology-driven surveillance has helped the Navy direct patrols at identified threats, respond faster and spend less on fuel and maintenance.

He said watching offshore installations and other critical national infrastructure has strengthened the fight against crude oil theft and related economic crimes, helping create a safer environment for oil production. Emerging technologies, he added, could extend monitoring to creeks and coastal areas to protect pipelines.

The naval chief also pointed to the growing use of Navy personnel, including Marines and Special Forces, in joint counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. That, he said, raises the need for better intelligence gathering, unmanned surveillance, secure communications and battlefield awareness.

He cited progress in indigenous shipbuilding and maintenance through the Navy's dockyard and shipyard as evidence of growing local capacity.

What happens next

Abbas said meaningful innovation cannot be achieved through isolated efforts and called for collaboration with universities, research institutions and indigenous industries to develop, test and deploy solutions.

He asked seminar participants to identify specific capability gaps, recommend research partnerships and set out practical ways to turn promising ideas into equipment operational units can use. Success, he said, will be measured by the capabilities developed, resources saved and results achieved.

Onyemaobi named artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, advanced sensors and additive manufacturing as technologies reshaping naval operations and fleet maintenance. He said the seminar would feature five presentations by guest speakers, with Naval Dockyard Limited, Naval Shipyard Limited and the Nigerian Navy Institute of Technology, Sapele, presenting their research initiatives on the second day.

Abbas thanked President Bola Tinubu for his continued support for the Navy's operational capabilities.