Matawalle Signs MoU With NASENI

Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle has signed MOU with NASENI a promise made to Mr. President before his tenure expiration of four years, as far as he is Defence Minister.

The minister said this on Wednesday 14th August 2024 after signing a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between Ministry of Defense (MOD) vide Defence Industries Corporations of Nigeria (DICON) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering (NASENI) on the establishment of arms and ammunition production factory in Nigeria.

The Minister said, ” What we need from all of you is prayers and your dedication. We shall look at it as our own babies, not just for me, but for all of us. Of course, if today we are producing 60 or 70 percent of our military hardware and ammunition. It will reduce the amount of money the ministry or the military is spending every year on the procurement of hardware and ammunition.

“We have been travelling all over the world, and we see how local manufacturers are developing their countries. But unfortunately, Nigeria, for 60 years, we are not doing anything. But today, the narration has changed and it will continue changing, inshallah, he said.

“Therefore, I make a promise to Mr. President that as far as MOD, before the expiration of his four years, I assure him that DICON will be exporting its military capabilities

The Defence minister also noted that the ammunition requirement of the military is about 200 million rounds per annum. He said, adding other paramilitaries, the police, Nigeria is looking at about 350 million rounds of ammunition per annum”.

Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the signing of the MoU was a significant milestone in strengthening the nation’s defence capabilities and achieving self-reliance in the production of military hardware.

He noted also that the partnership between NASENI and the Ministry of Defence is a testament to the nation’s commitment to harnessing Nigeria’s scientific and engineering expertise in the service of national defence.

“NASENI has always been at the forefront of promoting innovation and technological advancement across various sectors in Nigeria, and with our track record of success in research and development, and manufacturing, we are well positioned to contribute meaningfully to the establishment of the Military Industrial Complex.

“Our goal is to create a robust ecosystem that does not only support the needs of the armed forces but also foster the growth of the local industries, thereby reducing our dependence on imports”. He added

Halilu said the Military Industrial Complex would serve as a hub for the development and production maintenance of military equipment, ranging from small arms and advanced defence systems.

“By leveraging NASENI’s expertise in areas such as material science, robotics and advanced manufacturing, we ensure that our military is well equipped with the best tools to defend our nation.

“This MOU represents the beginning of a long-term collaboration aimed at enhancing our defence capabilities through innovation and Indigenous production.

“It is our firm belief that through this partnership we will lay the foundation of a self-reliant defence industry that can meet the needs of our armed forces and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth,” he said.

Also in his remarks, the minister of steel development, Shuaibu Audu, stressed that the Ajaokuta Steel Plant provides a perfect platform for the Military Industrial Complex.”

He said the Ajaokuta steel plant sits on about 24,000 hectares of land, while the steel plant, which has 44 production units, sits on 800 hectares and also has more than 10,000 housing units, of which only 3,000 to 4,000 are occupied.

“So it has the capacity to be able to withhold military barracks. There’s an engineering workshop in some of the production units there that can help to produce helmets, vests, rifles, bullets, and body parts for military tanks and the like.

“There are great opportunities for this initiative to dovetail into an MOU partnership between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Steel Development to take this initiative further.” he said.

Other stakeholders present to witness the signing of this landmark agreement included the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, Senior Officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces.