Nigeria to Start Making Weapons Locally Within a Year, Musa

Nigeria will start making its own defence equipment on a large scale within the next year. This move aims to meet the country's military needs and sell equipment to other African nations, according to the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa.

Mr Musa shared this news in a statement on Tuesday after the first Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX). This event brought together African governments, military bodies, defence manufacturers, and technology innovators.

He mentioned that this planned production will help reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign military gear and boost local defence manufacturing.

“Within the next year, Nigeria will commence large-scale local production of defence hardware to meet domestic requirements and support exports to other African countries,” Mr Musa said.

“This is an important step towards building a self-reliant defence industry, strengthening our national security and positioning Nigeria as a contributor to Africa’s defence manufacturing capacity.”

The minister explained that the government is focused on making military gear, weapons, ammunition, and other important defence systems. This will be done through investments, technology transfer, research, and working with international manufacturers.

He noted that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) will play a key role in boosting local production and providing the Nigerian Armed Forces with the necessary equipment.

Reports show that Nigeria currently relies heavily on imports for its military hardware from countries like the US, France, Italy, and China.

Mr Musa added that AFRIDEX will also help Nigeria build stronger security ties with other countries. It will allow for sharing of expertise and forming partnerships to tackle security issues across Africa.

The exhibition covered various areas such as land, air, maritime, space, and cyber security. It focused on connecting Africa’s security needs with the technology, skills, investments, and industrial capacity required to address them.

The minister expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for backing local defence production and initiatives to improve national security.