Nigeria is making steady progress towards self-reliance in the production of military hardware, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has said.
Speaking at the conclusion of a two-day working tour of key military institutions in Kaduna State, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the country’s growing capacity to locally produce and refurbish critical military equipment.
Badaru visited the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), the Nigerian Army Command Engineering Depot (CED), Buffalo Engineering Technical Services Limited (BETSL), and the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). He was accompanied by top military officials, including Major General M.L.D. Saraso, General Officer Commanding 1 Division; Major General A.K. Ibrahim, NDA Commandant; and Air Vice Marshal Sani Labaran Rabe, Commandant of AFIT.
Addressing journalists after the tour, the Minister highlighted the government’s commitment to reducing reliance on foreign military procurement through increased local production of combat vehicles, arms, ammunition, and other critical equipment.
“The ongoing efforts in training, local production, and refurbishment of military assets are commendable,” Badaru said. “I witnessed firsthand the remarkable work being done on repairing and refurbishing Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, tanks, and Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs). New platforms like the Buffalo APCs, MRAPs, bulletproof glass, spare parts, and surveillance UAVs are now being developed locally. Some of these are already deployed to operational theaters.”
The Minister commended the Armed Forces for their innovation and underscored the vital role of training, research, development, and innovation (RDI) in achieving operational readiness. He called for sustained collaboration among military institutions and more investment in RDI to reduce dependence on imported hardware.
Badaru also noted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resolve to strengthen Nigeria’s defense sector, citing the recent enactment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Bill into law. The legislation is designed to enhance local production, repair, and supply of military hardware for the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
He further stressed the need for continuous support to institutions like the NDA, AFIT, CED, and BETSL, which he described as central to building a capable, self-reliant defense industry and producing highly skilled military personnel.
LV