The Federal Government is laying the groundwork to halt the importation of defence and security equipment, targeting full local production of all required military assets within the next two to five years.
Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja during the unveiling of the DICON X-Shield light tactical armoured vehicle and several civilian armoured vehicles manufactured in Nigeria.
Matawalle described the initiative as a key step toward defence self-reliance, stating that Nigeria is committed to building a strong domestic industrial base. This shift, he noted, would save foreign exchange, generate skilled employment, enable technology transfer, and eventually allow Nigeria to export defence products regionally.
The DICON X-Shield was showcased as a demonstration of growing local expertise, featuring improved mobility, ballistic protection, and maintenance suited to Nigerian terrain. Matawalle praised the collaborating firm, X-Shield, for its contributions in armour technology, engineering, integration, and quality standards.
The event aligns with ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the DICON Act 2023, which mandates prioritizing local procurement and limits imports to items unavailable domestically. Recent efforts such as partnerships with Ajaokuta Steel for ballistic materials, facility upgrades at DICON, and production of armoured vehicles, ammunition, and other hardware supports this vision.
While the 2-5 year goal is ambitious, government officials point to accelerating collaborations, indigenous platforms like the DICON-Vanquish APC, and increasing military orders as evidence of progress.
Amid security challenges, this push for local manufacturing is positioned as vital for sovereignty, cost efficiency, and stronger military capabilities. The unveiling underscores tangible advances in transforming Nigeria from a major importer to a self-sufficient producer of defence equipment.
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