MARSS has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence for a landmark national C4I programme valued at more than $190 million, marking one of the largest defence initiatives of its kind on the African continent. The agreement, signed in London on 19 March 2026, sets the foundation for a multi-year effort to deliver Nigeria’s first fully integrated national defence architecture, aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to counter evolving asymmetric threats.

The programme is designed to provide an AI-powered protective shield over Nigeria’s critical infrastructure and borders, addressing growing challenges posed by terrorism and organised insurgency across the country and the wider West African region. Through this partnership, MARSS will work closely with the Nigerian Ministry of Defence and local partners to build sovereign capabilities and establish a comprehensive multi-domain defence framework that enhances national security operations.

At the core of the agreement is the deployment of MARSS’ NiDAR AI-enabled C4I system, which will be delivered alongside a full package of training, spare parts, and long-term support. The initiative also includes the construction of a new national command centre, complemented by a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence dedicated to the continuous training of Nigerian personnel. This approach is intended to ensure sustained operational readiness and the effective integration of advanced technologies into national defence structures.

The NiDAR system will enable the integration of expeditionary platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles, and legacy sensor networks into a unified operational picture. Through its Autonomous Mission Management capabilities, the system allows operators to deploy and coordinate unmanned assets across air, land, and maritime domains, transforming them into intelligent, networked sensors and effectors. This capability is particularly valuable in hostile environments where traditional ground deployments may be limited or high-risk.

In addition, NiDAR’s Nation Shield and Edge-to-Mission Command functionalities will connect regional command centres with a central national headquarters, allowing real-time data fusion and enhanced situational awareness across all levels of command. This integrated approach is expected to significantly improve decision-making speed and accuracy at tactical, operational, and strategic levels.

The agreement also reflects the broader defence relationship between the United Kingdom and Nigeria. UK Minister for Defence at the House of Lords, Lord Coaker, highlighted the partnership as a testament to the strong and enduring ties between the two nations, noting the role of British defence technology in supporting Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.

According to MARSS Chief Growth Officer Rob Balloch, the programme will deliver a scalable and future-proofed layered defence capability by integrating mobile platforms, regional centres, and national command structures into a single C4I ecosystem. He also emphasized that support from the UK government and international partners played a key role in bringing the project to fruition.

Already deployed across more than 60 sites worldwide, NiDAR has demonstrated its ability to protect military bases and critical infrastructure. The Nigerian programme represents a significant step forward, showcasing how AI-enabled C4I solutions can be scaled from localized deployments to a fully integrated national defence network.