The Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, says Nigeria is determined to end over-reliance on imported defence equipment and build a strong domestic defence manufacturing industry.
He stated this in Abuja at the seventh Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum, where he called for a shift from a buyer–seller relationship to partnerships based on local production, technology transfer and joint manufacturing.
The Minister of Defence retired General Christopher Musa said the country’s goal is to develop a defence industrial base capable of meeting Nigeria’s security needs while also serving the wider African market.
He identified joint ventures, co-production, local manufacturing and assembly, maintenance and repair, research and development, and skills development as key areas for collaboration between Nigerian and Turkish defence industries.
He said the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON, Act 2023, provides a strong legal and institutional framework for attracting private-sector investment and facilitating technology transfer.
According to him, Nigeria’s large market, strategic location and human capital provide the foundation for developing the country into a competitive defence manufacturing hub on the continent.
Retired General Christopher Musa urged Nigerian and Turkish companies to move beyond signing agreements and expressions of interest to concrete investments and production arrangements with clear timelines and measurable results.
He said the real success of the partnership would be determined by the technologies transferred, Nigerian personnel trained, local industries developed and capacity created to manufacture, maintain and upgrade defence equipment.
The Minister also described Türkiye as a strategic partner in Nigeria’s defence industrialisation drive, saying its experience in building a self-reliant defence industry offers valuable lessons for Nigeria.
He expressed confidence that stronger Nigeria–Türkiye cooperation would deepen local supply chains, create jobs, strengthen national security and contribute to the emergence of a stronger African defence industrial ecosystem.
The Head of the Türkiye Defence Delegation, Mr Gokman Ucar, says the Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum could open a new chapter in bilateral relations by bringing defence companies from both countries together.
He said the forum would provide an opportunity for both countries to review their strategic defence partnership from the perspective of defence industrialisation.
According to him, discussions would focus on joint production, technology transfer and localisation, as well as Nigeria’s regulatory and investment framework for establishing strategic defence partnerships.
Mr Ucar said the forum would also provide an avenue for Nigerian and Turkish companies to engage in business-to-business meetings based on their respective profiles and areas of interest.
He thanked the Nigerian Government for organising the forum and expressed optimism that the engagements would strengthen defence industrial cooperation between Nigeria and Türkiye.
The Director General Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON, Major General Babatunde Alaya,
said DICON is expanding its focus to include research and innovation, technology transfer, private-sector participation, strategic partnerships and indigenous manufacturing.
According to him, cooperation with Türkiye should go beyond the procurement of defence equipment to include technology partnerships, production lines, maintenance capabilities and skills development that will strengthen Nigeria’s defence production resilience.
DICON said it is ready to serve as a platform for collaboration among the government, Armed Forces, industry, innovators and international partners.
The Corporation urged the participants to ensure that the outcome of the Staff Talks translates into practical programmes and identifiable projects that will build sustainable indigenous defence capabilities.
It expressed appreciation to the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), the Turkish delegation, the Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs for their support and commitment to strengthening Nigeria–Türkiye defence relations.
