Nigeria seeks self-reliant defence industry and regional unity

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has announced a commitment to developing a self-reliant and globally competitive defence industrial base. Speaking at the 7th Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum in Abuja, Musa emphasized that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act 2023 provides the legal framework to encourage private-sector investment, technology transfer, and international partnerships.

Musa stated that the goal is to transition from a buyer-seller relationship with international partners toward a model based on joint production, local manufacturing, and research and development. He expressed ambition to position Nigeria as a competitive defence manufacturing hub within Africa.

In a separate engagement in Abuja, Musa also reflected on the history of regional peacekeeping. During the unveiling of a book documenting ECOWAS peacekeeping interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau, he honored the sacrifices made by Nigerian and West African troops. He urged African nations to strengthen continental unity to preserve the peace achieved through those past military interventions.