By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a strong and self-reliant defence industrial base as Nigeria and the Republic of Türkiye strengthened discussions on strategic defence cooperation at the 7th Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum and Staff Talks held in Abuja.
Speaking at the forum held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), described the gathering as a significant milestone in the long-standing relationship between both countries. He noted that Nigeria and Türkiye have developed a robust partnership covering defence equipment acquisition, military training, technical assistance and defence industry cooperation.
The Minister stressed that Nigeria seeks to move beyond a traditional buyer–seller relationship to a more balanced partnership driven by joint production, local manufacturing, technology transfer, research and development, maintenance, repair and overhaul services, as well as skills development. According to him, the ultimate goal is to build enduring defence capabilities that will benefit both nations.
General Musa highlighted the importance of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act 2023, describing it as a critical framework for expanding private-sector participation, attracting strategic investments and promoting technology transfer. He said the legislation provides opportunities for reputable international defence manufacturers to collaborate with Nigeria in developing indigenous defence capabilities.
He further disclosed that Nigeria’s ambition extends beyond meeting its domestic defence needs, noting that the country aims to emerge as a leading defence manufacturing hub in Africa. Such a development, he said, would create employment opportunities, develop highly skilled professionals, strengthen local supply chains and contribute significantly to national security and economic growth.
The Minister observed that emerging technologies such as unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities, advanced communications, surveillance technologies and space-based assets are increasingly shaping modern warfare. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to develop the capacity not only to acquire such technologies but also to manufacture, maintain and improve them locally through strategic partnerships and sustained investments in human capital.
Commending Türkiye’s remarkable transformation into a major defence industrial power, General Musa said Nigeria views the Turkish defence industry as a strategic partner in its industrialization journey. He expressed interest in learning from Türkiye’s experience in indigenous defence production and adapting successful models to Nigeria’s unique needs and strategic interests.
The Minister also encouraged Nigerian and Turkish companies to use the forum as an opportunity to identify commercially viable and technologically meaningful areas of cooperation. He called for practical agreements with clear objectives, investment commitments, production arrangements and measurable outcomes that would deliver tangible benefits to both countries.
In a separate goodwill message during the Nigeria–Türkiye Staff Talks, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) emphasized the need for defence production resilience and indigenous capability development. DICON noted that recent global security challenges have demonstrated that national defence strength depends not only on equipment acquisition but also on the ability to produce, sustain, repair and innovate.
The Corporation stated that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is repositioning DICON as a strategic instrument for defence industrialization through the implementation of the DICON Act 2023. DICON urged stakeholders to ensure that the outcomes of the Staff Talks translate into actionable projects, technology partnerships, production lines, maintenance capabilities and skills-development programmes. The Corporation expressed confidence that stronger Nigeria–Türkiye cooperation would contribute to enhanced defence production capacity, industrial growth and regional security across Africa.
