…says in two to five years there will be no more importation of defence equipment.
Abuja, Nigeria – The iNews Times, reports that the Federal Government has announced plans to end the importation of defence and security equipment within the next two to five years, as it intensifies efforts to build a fully indigenous military manufacturing base.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, made the declaration on Thursday in Abuja during the unveiling of the DICON X-Shield light tactical armoured vehicle and a range of civilian armoured vehicles produced locally in Nigeria.
Represented at the event by the Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General Babatunde Alaya, Matawalle said the ongoing push for indigenous defence manufacturing marked the foundation of a broader strategy aimed at achieving full local production of military and security assets.
“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 there will be no more importation,” he said.
The minister said Nigeria’s future defence and security capability would be built locally through indigenous innovation, strategic partnerships and sustained industrial investment.
“The future of Nigeria’s defence and security capability will be built at home by Nigerian hands through trusted partnerships such as the one we celebrate today,” he said.
According to him, localising defence production would not only strengthen national security but also create skilled jobs, enable technology transfer, conserve foreign exchange and position Nigeria for regional leadership and exports in defence manufacturing.
Matawalle described the unveiling of the armoured vehicles as more than a product launch, saying it reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s technical competence and the convergence of security needs, industrial expertise and commercial opportunity.
He noted that DICON was established to drive indigenous defence manufacturing, reduce dependence on foreign supply chains and reposition Nigeria as a credible producer of military and security equipment.
The minister stressed that achieving this mandate would require strong partnerships with private sector firms possessing the technical expertise, discipline and long-term vision necessary for sustainable local production.
Commending X-Shield for its role in advanced vehicle armour, ballistic engineering, systems integration and quality assurance, Matawalle described the company as a strategic partner in Nigeria’s defence industrial drive.
He said the newly unveiled light tactical armoured vehicle was designed to meet the demands of modern operations, combining mobility, protection, adaptability and survivability while remaining cost-effective and suitable for local production and maintenance.
The collaboration between DICON and X-Shield, he added, would strengthen Nigeria’s defence industrial base, expand skilled employment, facilitate technology transfer, conserve foreign exchange and unlock export opportunities.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of X-Shield, Charles Ibanga, said the company was positioning itself as a dependable indigenous solution provider amid rising demand for armoured mobility across defence, security and critical infrastructure sectors.
“In a market where the demand for armoured mobility continues to rise, X-Shield has positioned itself as a credible and dependable indigenous solution provider,” Ibanga said.
He cited figures from the National Bureau of Statistics to highlight the urgency of local manufacturing, noting that Nigeria spent over ₦5.06 trillion on imported armoured vehicles in the last quarter of 2023 alone, compared to ₦1.81 trillion on petrol imports.
According to him, armoured vehicles accounted for 35.87 per cent of total imports during the period, underscoring the economic burden of continued reliance on foreign suppliers.
Nigeria’s renewed push for indigenous defence manufacturing comes amid escalating security challenges and concerns over the cost, sustainability and vulnerability of importing critical military assets.
For decades, the country has depended heavily on foreign suppliers, exposing it to supply chain disruptions, foreign exchange pressures and procurement delays vulnerabilities the government now says it is determined to eliminate.
