By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has restated the commitment of the present administration towards local content development in the defence sector.
He stated this while on official tour of Proforce Factory in Proforce City, Ogun State.
This was disclosed in a press release by Director, Information, Press and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike.
The minister commended the state of the art armored defence products and equipment manufactured by the company saying that Nigeria government does not need to look else where to buy defence equipment.
The press release said Badaru expressed his amazement “I am amazed with what I have seen. It is noteworthy that many of the essential items used in the Nigeria Armed Forces are produced right here.”
“Speaking on partnership with Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria ( DICON), the Minister hinted that the tour was aimed at promoting strategic partnership with DICON that will enhance the Nigerian Military’s efficiency in addressing security challenges .
“On the recently signed DICON Bill, he commended Mr. President for setting an enabling environment for defence corporations to strive.
“The new DICON bill signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR will prioritize Made in Nigeria equipments over imports,” he said.
“Consequently, the Minister directed the Director- General of DICON, Major General Effiong Edet to share more ideas with Proforce on collaboration on how to strengthen the defence industry.
“He reaffirmed Federal Government’s commitment to support the defence industries saying: “We will continue to support you in all manners possible to achieve the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to patronizing Made in Nigeria equipments.”
“Earlier in his speech, the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Proforce, Mr. Ade Ogundeyin, shared groundbreaking collaborations with reputable International Companies and stated that the collaborations has opened up a new era for Nigeria’s defence industry.
“Proforce is set to partner with Israeli Aerospace Industry to commence satellite production next month. Additionally, the company has joined forces with Russia to manufacture a number of aircrafts monthly here in Nigeria and has established a significant partnership with Kalashnikov of Russia to produce 100,000 weapons in the coming year,” he said.
“According to Mr Ogundeyin, Proforce has further diversified its portfolio by initiating the production of home-made drones within Nigeria, showcasing the country’s growing self-sufficiency in defense capabilities.
“He commended the Minister for the tour of Proforce’s facilities saying that it marks a significant milestone in the advancement of Nigeria’s defense industry and added that it
highlights Proforce’s dedication to innovation and self-reliance in meeting the nation’s security needs.”
