The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has said Nigeria has the engineering expertise and scientific talent needed to develop indigenous defence technologies and reduce Africa’s reliance on foreign military equipment.
Matawalle made the remarks on Monday at the opening of the Africa International Defence Exhibition 2026 (AFRIDEX 2026), held at Eko Atlantic, Lagos.
He said investment in Nigeria’s domestic defence industry would strengthen national security, promote technological self-reliance and create opportunities for industrial growth.
“By investing strategically in our domestic defence industry, we are strengthening national security, advancing technological self-reliance, creating opportunities for industrial growth and contributing meaningfully to collective efforts to build a safer, stronger and more secure Africa,” the minister said.
His remarks were contained in a statement issued on Monday by his media personal assistant, Ahmad Dan-Wudil.
Matawalle described AFRIDEX 2026 as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s defence sector, noting that it was the first exhibition of its kind since the establishment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in 1964.
He said the exhibition would provide opportunities to showcase local defence manufacturing capabilities, attract foreign investment, facilitate technology transfer and strengthen partnerships between government and private-sector organisations.
“Today marks a significant milestone in the history of Nigeria and, in particular, the Ministry of Defence, as we host the first Africa International Defence Exhibition, spearheaded by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria,” he said.
The minister described the event as more than a showcase of military equipment, saying it reflected Nigeria’s ambition to develop a technologically advanced and self-reliant defence industry.
Tinubu Calls for Technology Transfer, Local Manufacturing
President Bola Tinubu, who was the special guest of honour, was represented at the opening ceremony by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who formally declared the exhibition open.
Tinubu urged African countries to ensure that defence partnerships deliver lasting benefits through local industrial development, technology transfer and capacity building.
He said defence agreements should extend beyond purchasing military equipment to include the development of local expertise, indigenous manufacturing and technical knowledge.
The President also challenged African engineers, scientists, manufacturers and businesses to take greater responsibility for developing, producing and maintaining the continent’s defence capabilities.
He called for stronger regional cooperation to protect the Gulf of Guinea, describing the maritime corridor as critical to international trade, energy security and economic development.
DICON Highlights Investment Opportunities
The Director-General of DICON, Major General IB Alaya, said AFRIDEX was designed to connect African defence stakeholders with international experts, strategic investors and global industrial partners.
“AFRIDEX is more than an exhibition; it is a strategic platform for translating ambition into action,” Alaya said.
He explained that the exhibition was intended to showcase defence technologies, attract investment, strengthen industrial partnerships and promote knowledge exchange across land, air, maritime, space and cyber operations.
According to him, the initiative’s success would be measured by the investments attracted, partnerships established and sustainable industrial capabilities developed, rather than the number of exhibitors or visitors.
The exhibition featured Nigerian and international companies displaying armoured vehicles, tactical mobility equipment, battlefield communications systems and force protection technologies.
Other exhibits included naval and coastal surveillance systems, aviation platforms, unmanned aerial systems, satellite observation technologies and space-enabled communications.
The displays highlighted the range of technologies and industrial partnerships that could contribute to the development of defence capabilities suited to modern security challenges.
Matawalle Meets International Defence Stakeholders
During business-to-business engagements at the exhibition, Matawalle met government officials, diplomatic representatives and defence industry stakeholders from countries including Kenya, Türkiye and Qatar.
Those involved included Kenya’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Keen Parashina; Gökhan Uçar of Türkiye’s Secretariat of Defence Industries; and representatives of Qatar’s Barzan Holding.
The meetings formed part of the exhibition’s broader objective of promoting international cooperation, investment and technology exchange within the defence sector.
AFRIDEX 2026 was hosted by DICON under the patronage of the Federal Government, with the stated aim of strengthening Nigeria’s ambition to become a major centre for defence manufacturing, technological innovation and security cooperation in Africa.
Senior officials at the opening included the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa; Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas; and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke.
Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat also attended, alongside diplomatic representatives, military officers and defence industry stakeholders.
The exhibition comes amid calls for African countries to strengthen domestic defence production and build the technical capacity required to develop, maintain and adapt military technologies locally. However, reducing dependence on foreign equipment will require sustained investment, research and development, skilled personnel and effective collaboration between governments and private industry.
