Nigeria's Defence Minister Advocates for Indigenous Military Tech

Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, declared that Nigeria has the engineering expertise and scientific talent necessary to develop indigenous defence technologies and reduce Africa's reliance on foreign military equipment. He made this statement on Monday at the opening of the Africa International Defence Exhibition 2026, held at Eko Atlantic, Lagos.

Matawalle emphasized that investing in the domestic defence industry would enhance national security, promote technological self-reliance, and create industrial growth opportunities. He described AFRIDEX 2026 as a historic milestone for Nigeria's defence sector, marking the first exhibition of its kind since the establishment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria in 1964.

The event aims to showcase local defence manufacturing capabilities, attract foreign investment, facilitate technology transfer, and strengthen partnerships between government and private-sector players. President Bola Tinubu, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urged African nations to ensure defence partnerships yield lasting benefits through local industrial development and capacity building.