Onuminya Innocent
Nigeria has moved to deepen its drive for a self-reliant military-industrial base, with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria–D7G announcing plans to commence local production of armoured vehicles, anti-drone platforms and other specialised military hardware.
The initiative, being driven through a partnership between DICON-D7G and Eagles International for Defence Systems, is expected to boost technology transfer, expand domestic manufacturing capacity and create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs across the country.
As part of the collaboration, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, led a two-day inspection tour of factories and military production facilities in Cairo, Egypt. The delegation assessed equipment and production systems earmarked to support Nigeria’s expanding defence manufacturing objectives.
Speaking on the partnership, Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G, Mr. Osman Chennar, said the arrangement would generate employment for over 200 workers and create opportunities for about 100 retired military personnel in the first phase.
He noted the collaboration was designed to establish production lines that would facilitate the transfer of advanced military technologies to Nigeria, enabling the country to produce a wider range of equipment for its armed forces.
According to him, the move would also position Nigeria to serve other African markets with locally made defence platforms in the near future, thereby reducing the continent’s reliance on imports from outside the region.
The platforms targeted for local production include the Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle BR6, Armoured Personnel Carrier cabin, 120mm manual mortar launcher cabin, medical evacuation and ambulance cabins, as well as MRAP-Buffalo U.10, M.12 and F-4 variants.
Other platforms listed under the agreement are the Rhino Guard GXR anti-drone and RPG-protected vehicle, APC Moon PT6, GXR Phantom light vehicle and the BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
The DICON-D7G CEO disclosed that beyond vehicle assembly, the corporation is also developing a dedicated military jetty in Lagos to strengthen logistics for the movement of raw materials, components and finished military equipment.
He said the jetty project, expected to take off within the next two to three months, would employ over 200 retired military personnel and more than 1,000 civilians, while serving as a strategic hub for defence equipment distribution within Nigeria and across Africa.
Industry analysts say the expansion aligns with the federal government’s broader push to strengthen indigenous defence production.
The Nigerian Army has already begun receiving locally manufactured armoured vehicles, a development seen as a major step toward reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and retaining defence spending within the domestic economy.