Nigeria Urged to Ditch Foreign Arms for Homegrown Defence Solutions

Kola Balogun, the General Secretary of the Defence Industrial Association of Nigeria (DIAN), has emphasized the need for Nigeria to break free from its reliance on imported defence equipment. According to Balogun, who is also the Chairman and CEO of Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited, the country's continued dependence on foreign defence systems is hampering the effectiveness of its security forces and putting troops at risk. He made this statement while addressing journalists in Abuja, stressing that Nigeria must develop solutions tailored to its unique security needs rather than relying solely on imported systems designed for different operational environments. Balogun noted that no two wars or security environments are identical, and therefore, the country must develop its own defence equipment to meet its peculiar realities. He cited an example where equipment designed for open desert warfare was deployed in dense forest terrains, resulting in devastating consequences for operational effectiveness. Balogun believes that local manufacturers have the capacity to produce virtually every category of defence equipment required by Nigeria's security agencies, and therefore, a private sector-led defence industry should be the driving force behind defence acquisition and capability development in Nigeria. He commended President Bola Tinubu for assenting to the amended DICON Act, which has opened the door for meaningful private sector participation in defence production. However, Balogun stressed that legislation alone is not enough and called on government institutions to back the Nigeria First policy with concrete procurement action. He questioned how often government institutions procure locally manufactured products when such products are available in Nigeria. Balogun also challenged the perception that foreign solutions are superior to local ones, asking Nigerians to trust in their own capacity to solve Nigerian problems. He linked the country's insecurity crisis to weak governance at the grassroots level, arguing that the absence of visible government presence in many communities creates fertile ground for criminality and insurgency. Balogun urged local governments to support community security initiatives through the procurement of locally produced protective equipment. He expressed confidence that with the right policies and sustained support for indigenous manufacturers, Nigeria can build a self-reliant and globally competitive defence industry. 'If we truly believe in our own capacity, support indigenous manufacturers, and create the right policy environment, Nigeria can develop a self-reliant and globally competitive defence industry capable of meeting our national security needs,' Balogun said. His call comes on the heels of comments by the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), who disclosed that the ongoing Iran-Israel and Russia-Ukraine conflicts are severely hampering the availability of arms and military equipment.