DIAN urges Nigeria to end dependence on foreign arms

The General Secretary of the Defence Industrial Association of Nigeria (DIAN), Kola Balogun, has called on Nigeria to reduce its reliance on imported military hardware and invest in locally manufactured defence equipment tailored to the country’s security realities.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Balogun, who is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited, said dependence on foreign defence systems designed for different operational environments was undermining the effectiveness of Nigerian security forces.

He noted that the country had witnessed situations where equipment designed for open desert warfare was deployed in dense forest terrains, resulting in operational challenges and exposing troops to unnecessary risks.

According to him, indigenous manufacturers already possess the capacity to produce most of the defence equipment required by Nigeria’s security agencies and should be supported through deliberate government policies and incentives.

Balogun described a private sector-led defence industry as essential for strengthening Nigeria’s defence acquisition and capability development.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu for signing the amended DICON Act into law, saying the legislation had created opportunities for meaningful private sector participation in defence production after years of advocacy.

However, he stressed that policy reforms must be backed by concrete actions, particularly in government procurement.

Balogun questioned how often public institutions patronise locally manufactured products even when such alternatives are available, urging authorities to fully implement the Nigeria First policy.

He also challenged the widespread belief that foreign products are inherently superior to locally made solutions, insisting that Nigerians have the capacity to address the country’s security challenges.

The DIAN scribe further linked the country’s security problems to weak governance at the grassroots level, arguing that insecurity thrives in communities where government presence is minimal.

He called on local governments to support community security initiatives by procuring locally produced protective equipment.

Balogun expressed confidence that with the right policies and sustained support for indigenous manufacturers, Nigeria could build a self-reliant and globally competitive defence industry capable of meeting its national security needs.

His remarks come days after the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, warned that the ongoing conflicts in Iran-Israel and Russia-Ukraine were affecting the global availability of arms and military equipment.