By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Defence Industries Affiliation of Nigeria (DIAN) has recommended President Bola Tinubu for creating an enabling surroundings for the expansion of Nigeria’s navy industrial base.
The Secretary-Common of DIAN, Mr Kola Balogun, gave the commendation in an interview with the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Balogun stated the Federal Authorities’s Nigeria First coverage supplies a crucial platform for strengthening native defence functionality, including that indigenous manufacturing of navy {hardware} was key to addressing Nigeria’s peculiar safety challenges.
He stated that a lot of the safety threats confronting the nation had been native in nature and required regionally developed options, together with each deadly and non-lethal weapons tailor-made to Nigeria’s operational surroundings.
In keeping with him, constructing home defence functionality wouldn’t solely improve nationwide safety but in addition promote expertise switch, domestication of experience and the expansion of human capability.
He, nonetheless, lamented low patronage of regionally produced defence gear regardless of the capability out there inside the nation, including that many native defence companies had been present process restructuring to appropriate previous gaps and place themselves for sustainable progress.
Balogun stated the assessment of the Defence Industries Company of Nigeria (DICON) Act, which opened the sector to non-public sector participation, was accountable for the emergence of DIAN.
He recommended the Director-Common of DICON for selling synergy between native and overseas defence industries, whereas calling for elevated authorities patronage and regional market enlargement to allow Nigeria provide defence options to neighbouring nations.
Waiting for 2026, the DIAN scribe stated the affiliation would intensify advocacy for improved funding, stronger collaboration and the institution of latest requirements to make sure interoperability, serviceability and sustainability of defence gear.
He stated such efforts would additionally stimulate the expansion of an area spare components business, scale back dependence on overseas help and assure long-term operational readiness of navy property.
Balogun expressed optimism that with sustained authorities help, Nigeria might evolve into a sturdy defence industrial advanced able to assembly nationwide and regional safety wants. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
