Chidimma Uchegbu, Abuja
The Federal Government has called for deeper defence-industrial cooperation with Türkiye, shifting from a largely buyer-seller relationship to strategic partnerships focused on local production, technology transfer, research and development.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), made the call at the 7th Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum held in Abuja.
Musa said Nigeria was committed to building a self-reliant and globally competitive defence industry, stressing that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act 2023 provides a framework for private-sector participation, strategic investment and technology transfer.
He said Nigeria was particularly interested in joint ventures, co-production, local manufacturing and assembly, maintenance, repair and overhaul, skills development and research partnerships.
The Minister said Nigeria must develop the capacity not only to acquire modern defence technologies, but also to manufacture, maintain, adapt and upgrade them.
He noted that Türkiye’s emergence as a major defence industrial power offered valuable lessons for Nigeria, particularly in indigenous research, innovation, private-sector participation and collaboration between government, the military, academia and industry.
Musa urged Nigerian and Turkish companies to move beyond expressions of interest and establish concrete partnerships with clear investment commitments, production arrangements, timelines and measurable outcomes.
He said successful cooperation should ultimately be measured by investments made, technologies transferred, skills developed and industrial capabilities created.
The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria also called for practical outcomes from the Nigeria–Türkiye Staff Talks, saying cooperation should translate into production lines, technology partnerships, maintenance capabilities and skills development.
DICON said Nigeria’s defence strength must increasingly be measured by its ability to produce, sustain, repair, adapt and innovate, rather than depend solely on imported equipment.
The Corporation pledged to support partnerships between government, the Armed Forces, local industries, innovators and international partners, stressing that stronger Nigeria–Türkiye cooperation could enhance Nigeria’s defence production resilience and indigenous technological capacity.
The forum ended with a call for sustained collaboration to strengthen bilateral defence ties and contribute to a stronger African defence-industrial ecosystem.
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