The Nigerian government has announced ambitious plans to significantly scale up local arms production, marking a pivotal shift towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. This strategic move aims to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and accelerate military procurement, thereby strengthening the country’s security architecture.
Speaking at a briefing in Abuja, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, underscored the importance of this initiative. “This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to advancing indigenous defence capabilities, achieving national self-reliance, and ensuring sustainable security development,” he stated. “Boosting domestic arms production is crucial to reducing procurement delays and dependence on foreign imports.”
A key component of this strategy is the upcoming African Youth Arts Exhibition, AfriDex 2026, scheduled to be held in Lagos from October 26 to 29, 2026. The exhibition will serve as a major platform to attract investments into indigenous defence technology and accelerate Nigeria’s transition toward local production of military hardware.
Matawalle explained that AfriDex 2026, jointly organised by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and DIAGOP in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, will bring together global defence manufacturers, technologists, policymakers, and security experts from Africa, Europe, and Asia. The four-day programme will feature high-level discussions, live demonstrations, and exhibitions of land, air, maritime, and cyber defence technologies. It will also create opportunities for public-private partnerships and attract foreign investment into Nigeria’s expanding defence sector.
“This exhibition is more than just a showcase; it is a strategic milestone in our determination to build a competitive indigenous defence industry,” Matawalle said. “Through this platform, Nigeria aims to attract global partners, expand local capacity, and position itself as Africa’s foremost defence production hub.”
The minister also highlighted the importance of inter-African collaboration on defence technology, enabling participating nations to share best practices, deepen research partnerships, and strengthen regional security frameworks. He urged local and international media organisations to give wide coverage to the event, describing their involvement as vital to projecting Nigeria’s defence innovation drive and boosting global interest.
Earlier, the Director General of DICON, Maj. Gen. Babatunde Alaya, disclosed that DICON currently has the capacity to produce 30 million rounds of ammunition annually. He revealed that the corporation, in partnership with SPARTA, would soon begin local production of gunpowder—a key component in ammunition manufacturing. “Before now, we imported most of our gunpowder, but we have signed a memorandum of understanding with an international partner, and in about eight months, we will start producing gunpowder in Nigeria,” Alaya said.
Alaya added that DICON had also signed an MoU with an indigenous company to produce marine-shaped charges for exploration activities. Several other partners are coming on board to manufacture weapons, ammunition, and related defence equipment. “For instance, we are already assembling completely knocked-down parts of weapons in partnership with G7G. We have also signed agreements with other partners producing machinery and equipment. In addition, several indigenous companies are already producing mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles and other personnel carriers, including Proforce, E-PILS, Vanquish, Imperial, and others,” he said.
The government’s push to reduce its reliance on foreign arms imports comes amid rising security challenges, including terrorism, transnational crime, and other emerging threats. By fostering a robust domestic defence industry, Nigeria aims to enhance its security capabilities and achieve greater autonomy in defence matters. The upcoming AfriDex 2026 exhibition will be a critical step in this journey, providing a platform for innovation, collaboration, and investment in Nigeria’s defence sector.