Tinubu Promotes Defence Partnerships at AFRIDEX in Lagos

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared Nigeria's readiness for defence partnerships based on mutual trust during the inaugural Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in Lagos. Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu highlighted the increasing complexity of security threats and called for collaboration with African defence partners and global innovators in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies.

He stressed the importance of peace and stability for creating opportunities and building trust in public institutions. The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), announced plans for Nigeria to begin local production of defence hardware within the next year for domestic use and export to other African nations.

Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle, described AFRIDEX as a dynamic platform for achieving defence objectives and strengthening bilateral relations among stakeholders.