The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.), has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to building a strong, self-reliant and globally competitive defence industrial base.
Musa stated this at the 7th Nigeria-Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum, where he outlined the government’s efforts to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing.
According to the minister, Nigeria is advancing its defence industry ambitions through the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act 2023, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.
He said the legislation would support the development of an industrial ecosystem capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive defence manufacturing hub in Africa.
Musa said the drive for a stronger domestic defence industry has become increasingly important as the global security environment grows more complex and technologically driven.
He stressed the need to develop local capacity that would enable Nigeria to meet more of its defence and security requirements domestically.
The minister said strategic partnerships with countries such as Türkiye would be important to achieving Nigeria’s defence industrial ambitions.
He identified technology transfer, co-production, local content, investment opportunities, incentives, procurement processes and regulatory frameworks as key areas requiring attention.
Musa said stronger cooperation in these areas would help accelerate the development of Nigeria’s defence manufacturing capabilities and strengthen the country’s position within Africa’s defence industry.
