Nigeria Fast Becoming Continental Leader In Defence Manufacturing, Says DICON-D7G
The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON-D7G, has informed that Nigeria is becoming fast continental leader in defence manufacturing, by the recent visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Ankara, Turkey.
The corporation also said it afforded an opportunity of telling a compelling story that Nigeria is no longer content to be a buyer of security solutions; but, becoming a builder.
According to the company, from high-level briefings to closed-door technical engagements, DICON-D7G showcased breadth of Nigeria’s indigenous defence ecosystem, including small-arms production, ammunition assembly, armoured solutions, maintenance and refurbishment capacity, and an expanding research-and-development horizon.
In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, signed by Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G, Osman Chennar, Turkish defence executives and policymakers listened closely as Nigerian engineers and strategists spoke the language of standards, scalability and sovereign capability.
Chennar said: “I held series of high-level engagements with Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, Rtd, alongside the Presidency, Defence Industries, SSB – Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı, Turkey’s principal authority overseeing defence industry development, procurement, and military technology, during the visit.
“These discussions, involved the Chief of Air Staff and other senior Nigerian Generals, focused on advancing practical solutions to the country’s evolving security challenges.
“The discussions touched on doctrine, lifecycle support, training, and ethics of responsible manufacturing. DICON-D7G’s pitch was modern and measured; security as an industrial ecosystem, not a shopping list.
“What distinguished DICON-D7G’s outing in Ankara was not mere exhibition but intent. The company positioned itself as a credible partner seeking technology transfer, co-production frameworks, skills exchange and sustainable supply chains that prioritise local value.
“In doing so, DICON-D7G aligned seamlessly with President Tinubu’s broader economic diplomacy by leveraging partnerships to unlock domestic productivity, create jobs, and reduce import dependence.”
The statement described Turkey as a nation that has successfully climbed from importer to exporter of defence technology, also noted that Nigeria’s proposition, resonated.
“As the President’s delegation moved between engagements, DICON-D7G’s role underscored a strategic truth: national security and national industry now march together.
“The optics mattered, but the substance mattered more; experts exchanged schematics, while policymakers aligned incentives, and manufacturers discussed timelines.
“For Nigeria, Ankara comes as a stage to assert seriousness and proof that indigenous defence is no longer aspirational rhetoric, but an organised, investable reality.
“In Ankara, amid flags and formalities, DICON-D7G helped, scripted a chapter of Nigeria’s industrial future, one forged in partnership, anchored in competence, aimed squarely at self-reliance.
“Back home, the implications are tangible. A stronger DICON-D7G means deeper local content, resilient supply chains for the Armed Forces, and a growing pool of Nigerian technical talent.
“It means defence dollars circulating within the economy, sovereignty measured not only by borders, but by the capacity to defend them with homegrown ingenuity.”
