Army Chief Urges Private Sector To Invest In Youths, Indigenous Defence Production

Shaibu made the call during a visit to Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL) in Ogun State on Tuesday.

The Army Chief, in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, described Nigeria’s youthful population as a critical national asset whose intelligence, creativity and productive capacity could be harnessed through investment, mentorship and skills development.

He said such investments would help generate innovative solutions to the country’s security challenges, create employment opportunities and strengthen national resilience.

Shaibu noted that developing indigenous technological capabilities was essential to reducing dependence on foreign imports and building a sustainable domestic defence industrial base capable of meeting the evolving operational requirements of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

He stressed that strategic collaboration between the Nigerian Army, local defence manufacturers and the private sector would accelerate technology development, enhance operational effectiveness and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to safeguard its national interests.

The COAS commended EPAIL for cultivating a skilled, youthful workforce dedicated to producing protective equipment for the military and other security agencies.

He said investments in local manufacturing and human capital development would strengthen troop protection and operational readiness while stimulating industrial growth, promoting technological innovation and contributing to long-term national security.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EPAIL, Engineer Kola Balogun, commended the COAS for sustaining pressure on criminal elements across the country.

Balogun affirmed the company’s capacity to supply protective equipment to troops, highlighting the contributions of its young and innovative workforce in developing solutions tailored to the operational requirements of security agencies.

The visit underscored the Nigerian Army’s recognition of indigenous defence manufacturing and youth development as strategic pillars of national security, with military capability, technological self-reliance, economic empowerment and public-private sector collaboration playing complementary roles in addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.