Nigeria Shifting from Importing Military Equipment to Producing Locally — Defence Minister

 


The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, has said Nigeria is gradually reducing its dependence on foreign military equipment and moving towards producing its own.

In a statement from his media aide, Mati Ali, on Wednesday, the minister explained that this shift is meant to support local production, repairs, and supply of military tools and weapons. According to him, this change is a big step toward self-reliance and stronger national security.

Badaru made the comments after completing a two-day tour of military institutions in Kaduna. He visited several key facilities including:

  • The Nigerian Defence Academy

  • The Nigerian Army Command Engineering Depot

  • Buffalo Engineering Technical Services Limited

  • The Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology

During the tour, he praised the progress being made in training and local production, especially efforts to repair and rebuild military equipment. He was particularly impressed by new projects underway — such as combat vehicles, bulletproof glass, spare parts, and surveillance drones.

Some of the equipment has already been fixed and sent back to the field, while others are ready for deployment.

Badaru emphasized that training, along with research and innovation, is essential for improving Nigeria’s defence system. He encouraged continued partnerships between military institutions and more investment in defence research and development.

He also noted that President Bola Tinubu is fully behind efforts to improve Nigeria’s military capacity, referencing the recent signing of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Bill into law as a major step forward.

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