Counterterrorism: Nigeria adopts technology to secure Sahel region

Philip Daniel Yatai
Apr, Fri, 2025

Defence/Security

Counterterrorism: Nigeria adopts technology to secure Sahel region

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By Ogbaje Sumaila

Nigeria has adopted the Counter Terrorism Technology (CT-TECH+) initiative to enhance its capacity to secure the country and the Sahel region.

The Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, made this known at the official kick-off of the CT TECH+ initiative, organised in collaboration with UN Office for Counter Terrorism (UNOCT), on Thursday in Abuja.

The event was also in collaboration with Interpol and funded by the European Union.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CT TECH+ is a two-year joint initiative that aims to strengthen the capacity of partner states, including Nigeria, to respond effectively to the growing threat of terrorism facilitated by new and emerging technologies.

Laka said that technology has ushered the world into a new era where global citizens now find themselves living in two interconnected realms, the physical world and the digital domain.

He said as innovation continues to evolve and new technologies emerge at an unprecedented pace, it converges vast opportunities and also complex, dynamic, and ever-changing risks.

He said that the digital age had opened a gateway for terrorists to exploit emerging technologies from artificial intelligence to autonomous technologies, encrypted communications, and blockchain-based financial tools, among others.

He said the initiative has provided access to radical content, recruitment platforms, illicit funding mechanisms, and the anonymity provided by cyberspace have also compounded the threats we face daily.

“More recently, we witnessed a disturbing trend where terrorists use commercial drones for surveillance over military deployments and even more concerning, these same drones have been weaponised to deliver explosive payloads.

“These are key areas I would urge this initiative to look into critically, as they reflect the rapidly evolving nature of terrorist tactics.

“In this context, the CT TECH+ initiative is not just timely but essential. It comes at a critical moment when we must outpace those who seek to destroy the very fabric of our societies.

“The only way to do this is through innovation, adaptation, and strategic foresight.

“At the NCTC, we firmly believe in proactive, collaborative, and tech-enabled responses to the evolving threat landscape.

“We are fully committed to initiatives such as CT TECH+ that align with our mandate not only to counterterrorism, but to prevent and address the root causes of violent extremism across Nigeria, West Africa, and the wider Sahel region.

“I am confident that CT TECH+ will elevate our capabilities and also bring us closer to the vision of a secure and resilient Nigeria, and the region in general,” he said.

Laka said that the initiative must not be allowed to become just another talk shop, saying that stakeholders must ensure that it translates into concrete outcomes that will attain the objectives of the initiative.

In his remarks, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Gautier Mignot said:”terrorist threats are present on the five continents around the globe and they are taking new forms and shapes using new technologies.

“It is a constant, long-term fight which security agencies must always have to be one step ahead of the terrorists”.

According to him, security agencies have to be more clever, more internationally coordinated than the terrorists themselves who are also enhancing their coordination.

Mignot said the UN and its national organisations were committed to playing a pivotal role to support the CT-TECh+ initiative with a grant of 4.9 million euros.

This, according to him, is to contribute to global security by strengthening partner states’ law enforcement capacity to respond to the increasing use of new technologies for terrorist purposes while protecting human rights in a gender-responsive manner.

“We are very pleased to see Nigeria, among the few selected countries in Africa and in the world, the beneficiary of this initiative.

“I think it is a very right choice, as Nigeria is one of the most affected countries by the threats in Africa, but also one of the most capable to develop modern capabilities to prevent and fight terrorism,” he said.

Also, the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohamed Fall, commended the Federal Government for its unwavering commitment to strengthening national security while upholding the principles of international law.

Fall said that it was a time of rapid technological advancement as emerging technologies held transformative potential for development, civic engagement, and the promotion of human rights.

According to him, these same technologies are increasingly exploited by terrorists to spread fear, recruit, radicalise, finance their operations, and conduct attacks.

Fall said that Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Darknet, encrypted communication platforms, and virtual assets have become powerful tools in the hands of those who seek to destabilise societies.

He said that CT TECH+ would, over the next two years, work to review and assess Nigeria’s law enforcement capabilities to tackle technology-enabled terrorism.

According to him, it will build capacity through tailored national threat assessments and legal frameworks, reinforce interagency coordination and public-private partnerships.

“This is why the CT TECH+ initiative is not just a project, it is a platform for action, a commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s resilience to the digital threats of tomorrow while upholding the values that unite us,” he said.

NAN reports that the CT TECH was launched on Feb. 10, 2022 at a virtual event attended by over 150 officials from the Permanent Missions to the United Nations, Member States’ capitals, United Nations entities and regional organizations.

The goal of this two and a half year initiative is to strengthen the capacities of law enforcement and criminal justice authorities to counter the exploitation of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes and to leverage these technologies in the fight against terrorism.

CT TECH is funded by the European Union and implemented under the UNCCT Global Counter-Terrorism Programme on Cybersecurity and New Technologies. (NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

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