A security policy researcher, Martin Nsot-Andeshi, says technology can strengthen conflict prevention in Nigeria through early warning, dialogue and data-driven interventions.
Nsot-Andeshi made the assertion in an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said early warning platforms could aggregate reports of farmer-herder clashes, communal disputes and banditry, enabling authorities and communities to intervene before violence escalates.
“Technology allows security agencies and community leaders to respond before incidents escalate, rather than only reacting afterward,” he said.
The researcher said misinformation on WhatsApp, Facebook and other social platforms could inflame communal tensions, making fact-checking, media literacy and local-language content moderation important.
He also advocated mobile-based platforms through which citizens could report grievances and engage authorities in mediated dialogue over land, resources and political exclusion.
Nsot-Andeshi said Geographic Information System mapping of farmland, grazing routes and water resources could make resource-sharing arrangements more transparent and predictable.
He told reporters that technology could also support peaceful elections, citing biometric voter verification and electronic result transmission systems as tools for reducing disputes capable of triggering political violence.
Beyond conflict response, he said social media could be deliberately used for peace messaging, interfaith dialogue and counter-narratives aimed at reducing youth radicalisation.
“Technology should not only be deployed when conflict has started; it can help build resilience before tensions flare,” Nsot-Andeshi said.
He said that drone and satellite monitoring could help track illegal mining, forest reserve incursions and pipeline vandalism — activities that could sustain local conflict economies.
He also identified digital land registries and land titling as potentially useful tools for reducing disputes caused by unclear ownership and competing claims.
However, he cautioned that technology alone could not address underlying problems such as weak governance, poverty and ethnic or religious distrust.
He explained that poor connectivity in conflict-prone rural communities also limited the reach of digital interventions, particularly across parts of the North-East and Middle Belt.
The researcher warned that surveillance technologies, including facial recognition and mass data collection, could create governance tensions if deployed without adequate safeguards.
He therefore urged policymakers to view technology as a force multiplier for peacebuilding efforts rather than a substitute for effective governance, dialogue and community-based conflict resolution.
