Nigeria has called on African countries to reduce their dependence on imported military equipment and build stronger indigenous defence industries, saying the continent must develop the capacity to produce, maintain and sustain its own military capabilities.
The Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, made the call during a strategic engagement with African ministers of defence and chiefs of defence staff at the Africa International Defence Exhibition and Conference (AFRIDEX 2026) in Lagos.
Musa said Africa must move beyond being a theatre of competing geopolitical interests and become an influential participant in shaping global security decisions. He argued that this would require greater strategic autonomy, collective security arrangements and international partnerships that respect national sovereignty.
He described the continent’s reliance on foreign military equipment, spare parts and technical support as a strategic vulnerability, urging African governments to prioritise local production, technology transfer, indigenous maintenance and sustainable defence industrial development.
The minister called for stronger collaboration among African defence industries through joint ventures, research, standardisation and regional production arrangements. He also identified the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) as a potential platform for partnerships involving joint production, technical training and technology transfer.
Beyond manufacturing, Musa urged African countries to strengthen intelligence sharing and cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime, which he said increasingly cross national borders.
He called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to maintain practical security cooperation despite political differences. He also highlighted the need for coordinated responses to conflicts in Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Musa further advocated investment in emerging defence technologies, including unmanned systems, counter-drone capabilities, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. He said African countries needed to develop the technical expertise, research capacity and maintenance systems required to support modern military operations.
The minister proposed a structured follow-up mechanism involving participating African defence institutions to translate the discussions into practical commitments on intelligence cooperation, joint training and industrial partnerships.
AFRIDEX 2026, held from Oct. 26 to 29 at Eko Atlantic in Lagos, brought together governments, armed forces, defence manufacturers, technology providers and security stakeholders to explore cooperation, investment and industrial development.
At the exhibition’s opening, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, representing President Bola Tinubu, also urged African countries to ensure that defence partnerships deliver lasting value through technology transfer, local industrial development and stronger military capabilities.
The event provided a platform for discussions on Africa’s defence requirements and the development of domestic manufacturing capacity. Its broader objective was to strengthen cooperation between African governments and international industry partners while supporting a more self-reliant continental defence sector.
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