As Nigeria battles contemporary and emerging security challenges, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, says the country will soon commence local production of arms, ammunition and other military hardware in line with the Federal Government’s commitment towards tackling insecurity in the country.
The minister gave the hint on Thursday during a facility tour of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) headquarters in Kaduna State.
He explained that the commitment is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the 2023 DICON Act which is aimed at local manufacturing of military hardware, noting that with the corporation’s level of hard work and resilience, Nigeria, shortly, will attend self-sufficiency in military hardware production.
The Corporation was established on August 1, 1964, by an Act of parliament and revised as the Dicon Act of 2004. Since then, it has faced severe challenges that have hampered its growth and objectives, including funding and patronage.
In a significant stride towards bolstering Nigeria’s defence capabilities, President Tinubu, in 2023, signed the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria bill, into law, thereby marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s efforts to modernise its defence sector and address the multifaceted security challenges it currently faces.
In line with the new law governing the Corporation, the minister of defence toured the corporation’s facilities in Kaduna state to have information about its operations, progress and challenges.
Among the facilities he visited include the DICON primer cap factory in the Kachia local government where military helmets are manufactured.
Others include the DICON ordinance factory in Kakuri, the imperium ultramodern production facility, a private company which is in partnership with the Corporation, among others
