Nigeria Defence Minister links national security to economic growth

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has identified national security as a fundamental requirement for the country to achieve its goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy. Speaking at the 56th Annual Accountants Conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Abuja, Musa stated that security must be viewed as an economic catalyst that protects human capital and critical infrastructure to attract long-term investment.

While acknowledging ongoing challenges such as highway kidnappings, community attacks, and insurgent activities, the Minister asserted that military operations are working to restore stability to agricultural and industrial zones. He outlined strategic priorities including the protection of economic assets, cybersecurity, and the development of domestic defence industrial capacity. To facilitate this, a joint Ministry of Defence-ICAN Implementation Committee will be established.

In a separate engagement, General Musa also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to honoring the legacy of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). He met with a delegation of ECOMOG veterans in Abuja, promising that efforts to document the sacrifices of personnel who served in peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone would be completed to ensure their history is preserved.