Nigeria Aims to Lead Africa in Defence Manufacturing

Nigeria is positioning itself as a significant hub for indigenous defence manufacturing, as stated by Osman Chennar, the Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G. This ambition is driven by increasing local capacity and strategic partnerships to decrease the country's reliance on imported military hardware.

Chennar made this announcement in a statement following Nigeria's participation in the 2026 El Alamein International Airshow in Egypt, which took place from September 8 to September 10. DICON-D7G is a collaborative defence manufacturing partnership between the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria and D7G Limited, aimed at producing military hardware locally to strengthen national security.

Chennar noted that Nigeria's participation in El Alamein marked the third major international defence exhibition for the country, following events in Doha, Qatar, and Ankara, Türkiye. He also mentioned advanced arrangements for establishing a military jetty in Lagos to enhance military equipment supply capabilities, reinforcing Nigeria's role in Africa's defence ecosystem and promoting regional cooperation.