Nigeria's Defence Minister Engages Global Firms at AFRIDEX 2026

Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, conducted discussions with local and international defence industry leaders during the Africa International Defence Exhibition 2026 at Eko Atlantic, Lagos, on 29 October. The event aimed to strengthen Nigeria's indigenous military production and acquire advanced security technologies.

Matawalle met with key figures including Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Musa Heybet, and General Jeanne from France’s Direction générale de l’armement. He also engaged with executives from DICON-D7G, SPO-DICON, and Azercosmos.

The exhibition featured various defence technologies and equipment from Nigeria and other countries, including military hardware and cybersecurity solutions. The four-day exhibition, which began on 26 October, is hosted by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria in collaboration with DMG Events UK.

It aims to foster partnerships in research, technology transfer, and local defence production, supporting Nigeria's goal of a self-reliant defence industry.