Nigeria To Begin Mass Production Of Equipment Within One Year – Defence Minister

The Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa Rtd has disclosed that disclosing that Nigeria will commence massive local production of defence hardware within the next one year for both domestic use and export, particularly to other African nations.

He stated this in his remarks at the opening ceremony of AFRIDEX 2026, holding from 26th to 30th October, 2026, at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.

In a statement by the Chief Information Officer Ministry of Defence, Queenet Iheoma-Hart, General Musa said engagements lined up during the exhibition would strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations among defence establishments, government representatives, industry stakeholders and other strategic partners.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio declared that Nigeria is open to defence partnerships built on mutual trust and respect, as Nigeria hosts the maiden Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in its history.

President Tinubu acknowledging that security threats are becoming more complex and interconnected,called on African defence partners and global innovators in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies to partner with Nigeria to ensure peace and stability on the continent.

He noted that those entrusted with securing peace must do all within their means to keep the peace.

He stressed that while peace has no alternative, Africa cannot afford to ignore new trends in military equipment, personnel training and cooperation based on shared values.

The President further noted that with peace and stability, opportunities are created, public institutions earn trust and the future can be approached with confidence.

He emphasized the need for a cohesive approach to make partnerships value-driven, adding that Nigeria is blessed with talented young people who require opportunities to thrive.

He urged participants to leverage the exhibition to share knowledge, hold bilateral meetings, sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and explore investment opportunities in Nigeria.

“Let the partnerships formed here strengthen our readiness. Let the knowledge exchanged here inspire our innovators. And let the commitments made here produce tangible results that our people can see and experience,” he said.

In his remarks, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle, described AFRIDEX as a dynamic platform capable of achieving the objectives for which it was conceived.

The Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General B.I. Alaya, commended President Tinubu for his sustained support to DICON and pledged enhanced production capacity.