By Sumaila Ogbaje, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
For decades, Nigeria relied heavily on foreign countries for weapons, ammunition, armoured vehicles, aircraft components and other military hardware required to confront its evolving security challenges.
While the approach strengthened the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces, it also exposed the country to procurement delays, foreign exchange pressures, export restrictions and disruptions arising from global supply chain shocks.
Recent geopolitical developments, including the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in the Middle East, have reinforced the strategic importance of indigenous defence manufacturing as countries increasingly prioritise domestic security needs over exports.
Against this backdrop, defence experts argue that the debate is no longer whether Nigeria should develop a self-reliant defence industry, but how quickly it can build one capable of meeting national security needs while contributing to economic growth.
At the centre of this ambition is the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), established in 1964 to provide the Armed Forces with locally manufactured military equipment.
Although DICON recorded modest achievements in ammunition and military hardware production, decades of inadequate investment, obsolete equipment, weak research capacity and limited private sector participation slowed its growth.
Analysts therefore describe the DICON Act, 2023, as a watershed in Nigeria’s defence industrialisation journey.
The law expands DICON’s mandate by encouraging partnerships with indigenous manufacturers, universities, research institutions, technology firms and foreign investors to deepen local defence production and technology transfer.
A key pillar of the new framework is the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN), the umbrella body for indigenous defence manufacturers and technology companies.
The association is fostering collaboration among government, the Armed Forces, academia, investors and innovators to build a competitive defence industrial ecosystem capable of supporting Nigeria’s long-term security objectives.
The Chairman of DIAN and Director-General of DICON, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Alaya, says indigenous defence production is no longer a choice but a strategic imperative.
Speaking at a high-level meeting of DIAN members in Abuja, Alaya said developing local capacity had become critical to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and reducing dependence on foreign military hardware.
According to him, a strong local defence industry will improve the operational readiness of the Armed Forces, ensure timely availability of critical military equipment and enhance supply chain resilience in support of ongoing security operations.
Alaya said the effective implementation of the DICON Act, 2023, remained central to achieving a self-reliant defence industrial base.
He said the law provided a robust legal and institutional framework for promoting local production, technology transfer, innovation and private sector participation in defence manufacturing.
Alaya urged members to intensify efforts toward achieving self-sufficiency in military hardware production, stressing that collaboration among government, industry and regulatory institutions would be vital to building a sustainable defence ecosystem.
He also urged members to leverage the forthcoming African International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) to showcase Nigeria’s growing defence manufacturing capabilities and technological innovations.
Alaya described the inauguration as the culmination of a vision to build not only defence equipment but also the human capacity required to power Nigeria’s military-industrial complex.
He said that the institute was conceived to bridge critical gaps in innovation, research, development and production.
Alaya said sustainable industrialisation could only be achieved by developing indigenous human capital capable of driving technological advancement.
Alaya said the institute would train engineers, technologists, technicians and other professionals in defence-related disciplines while serving as a centre for research, development and innovation to support the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
He added that DICON’s partnership with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and listing by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had created a formal academic pathway into Nigeria’s defence industry.
According to him, adequate funding, strong partnerships and linkages with DICON factories and joint venture partners will ensure research translated into practical products and solutions.
The renewed drive received further impetus with the inauguration of the DICON Institute of Technology in Kaduna by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle.
Matawalle described the institute as a deliberate investment by the Federal Government to achieve self-reliance in defence production and build a robust military-industrial complex.
According to him, the institute will provide the technical expertise required to design, develop and sustain platforms and systems critical to national security.
He said Nigeria had relied heavily on foreign sources for critical defence capabilities for decades, making the establishment of the institute a significant step toward strengthening the country’s indigenous defence industrial base.
The minister commended DICON’s leadership for making the project a reality.
According to him, the institute will drive innovation for the future development of defence-related and civil manufacturing sectors.
“To the management and academic staff of the DICON Institute of Technology, I charge you to strive to make this institution a centre of excellence.
“I further urge you to partner with industry and academia to drive innovation and let this institution become a hub where ideas are transformed into products and technologies that will serve the best interests of our nation,” he said.
Matawalle assured DICON of the Federal Government’s continued support through favourable policies, adequate resources and strategic direction under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Industry stakeholders believe that beyond government reforms, private sector participation will determine the pace of Nigeria’s defence industrialisation.
The Chairman of Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL), Mr Kola Balogun, believes Nigeria lost valuable decades by failing to maximise DICON’s potential.
“Looking backward, 60 years down the line of DICON’s journey to where we are today has not been impressive by virtue of what has been their output.
“I am very sure they set up Nigeria’s DICON and Brazil almost at the same time and if you look at what Brazil has been able to do with its own, it is very, very impressive.”
Balogun said Brazil had evolved into a global producer of helicopters and other defence platforms while Nigeria had yet to fully exploit similar opportunities.
He attributed the gap partly to a lack of confidence in indigenous capabilities.
“Some of us don’t believe in ourselves that we can do it, that we have what it takes to develop ourselves,” he said.
Balogun, who also serves as DIAN General Secretary, said the DICON Act had created a unique opportunity for Nigeria to change course.
According to him, the country should focus on strategic partnerships, establish clear licensing frameworks and deliberately support credible indigenous manufacturers capable of producing arms, ammunition and other defence technologies.
He expressed optimism that with effective implementation of the DICON Act, Nigeria could record significant growth in indigenous defence production within the next decade.
Beyond strengthening national security, experts believe a vibrant defence industry can catalyse industrialisation and technological advancement.
Countries with robust defence manufacturing sectors often record technological spillovers into aviation, metallurgy, robotics, electronics, telecommunications, cyber security and artificial intelligence.
Such investments also create high-value jobs, stimulate research and development, strengthen local supply chains and improve national innovation capacity.
India offers one of the most successful examples.
Analysts say, like Nigeria, India depended heavily on imported military hardware before embarking on wide-ranging reforms that opened its defence sector to private companies, universities, research institutions and technology firms.
One of its flagship programmes, Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), supports start-ups, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), universities and innovators through grants, competitions and incubation programmes to develop indigenous defence technologies.
Today, hundreds of Indian companies are producing drones, robotics, artificial intelligence applications, cyber security solutions, surveillance systems and autonomous military platforms for domestic use and export.
Stakeholders agree that developing a viable and self-reliant military industrial complex is not merely a defence objective but a national economic strategy capable of strengthening security, conserving foreign exchange, creating skilled jobs and positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for defence manufacturing.
All in all, experts say the legal and structural foundation is set.
With the DICON Act, DICON’s coordination, the DICON Institute’s training, and DIAN’s private-sector mobilisation, all Nigeria needs is sustained political will, funding, and execution to shift from importing military hardware to producing defence technology.(NANFeatures)
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo
***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.