The Federal Government has announced plans to end the importation of defence and security equipment, aiming to manufacture all required assets locally within the next two to five years.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the unveiling of the DICON X-Shield light tactical armoured vehicle and other civilian armoured vehicles produced in Nigeria.
Represented by the Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General Babatunde Alaya, Matawalle said the current push for indigenous defence manufacturing marked the first phase of a broader strategy targeted at full local production.
“This is just the beginning. We will do more to ensure that all required defence and security equipment are produced locally, and in two to five years’ time, there will be no more importation,” he said.
He noted that Nigeria’s future defence and security capability would be built through local innovation and strategic partnerships, stressing that indigenous production would position the country for exports and regional leadership in defence manufacturing.
“Localising production opens pathways for export and regional leadership. It creates skilled jobs, transfers technical knowledge and conserves foreign exchange,” he added.
Matawalle said the unveiling of the armoured vehicles reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s technical competence, describing it as more than a product launch but a convergence of security needs, indigenous capacity, industrial expertise and commercial opportunity.
According to him, DICON was established to drive local defence manufacturing, reduce dependence on foreign supply chains and position Nigeria as a credible producer of military and security equipment. He added that achieving this goal required strong partnerships with private sector firms possessing the expertise, discipline and long-term vision needed for sustainable production.
The minister commended X-Shield for its role in vehicle armour development, ballistic engineering, systems integration and quality assurance, describing the firm as a key partner in Nigeria’s defence industrialisation drive.
He said the locally produced tactical armoured vehicle was designed to meet modern operational demands, including mobility, protection, adaptability and survivability, while remaining cost-effective and suitable for local maintenance.
Matawalle further stated that the collaboration between DICON and X-Shield would strengthen Nigeria’s defence industrial base, create skilled employment, facilitate technology transfer, conserve foreign exchange and open export opportunities. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding similar partnerships aligned with national security, industrial growth and commercial sustainability.
Speaking at the event, X-Shield Chief Executive Officer, Charles Ibanga, said the company was positioning itself as a reliable indigenous solution provider amid growing demand for armoured mobility across defence agencies, critical infrastructure operators and the private sector.
He cited National Bureau of Statistics data to highlight the urgency of local manufacturing, noting that in the last quarter of 2023, Nigeria spent over ₦5.06tn importing armoured vehicles, compared to ₦1.81tn on petrol—a difference of ₦3.25tn, with armoured vehicles accounting for 35.87 per cent of total imports.
Nigeria’s renewed drive for indigenous defence manufacturing comes amid escalating security challenges and concerns over the high cost and sustainability of importing military hardware. For decades, reliance on foreign suppliers has exposed the country to supply chain disruptions, foreign exchange pressures and procurement delays.
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