The Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has lauded the Nigerian Armed Forces for their strides in indigenous defence production, refurbishment, and innovation during a two-day working visit to key military institutions in Kaduna State.
The institutions visited included the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), the Nigerian Army Command Engineering Depot (CED), Buffalo Engineering Technical Services Limited (BETSL), and the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).
Accompanied by top-ranking officers including Major General M.L.D. Saraso, General Officer Commanding 1 Division; Major General A.K. Ibrahim, Commandant of the NDA; and Air Vice Marshal Sani Labaran Rabe, Commandant of AFIT, the Minister inspected several research and production facilities critical to Nigeria’s evolving military infrastructure.
During the visit, the Minister emphasized Nigeria’s steady transition from foreign dependence to local defence manufacturing, noting substantial progress in the production and refurbishment of combat vehicles, weapons systems, and surveillance technologies.
“Training remains a vital pillar in achieving Nigeria’s defence objectives,” the Minister said.
“I inspected several workshops and saw impressive progress in the repair and refurbishment of completely burnt and damaged MRAPs, tanks, and APC vehicles.”
He further highlighted the local development of advanced military platforms, including Buffalo APC fighting vehicles, mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), bulletproof glass, spare parts, and surveillance UAVs, many of which have already been deployed to theatres of operation.
Minister Abubakar praised the military’s innovation, technical expertise, and commitment to capacity building through training and research. He called for sustained investment in Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI), describing it as central to enhancing operational efficiency and achieving Nigeria’s strategic defence goals.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mati Ali, the Minister urged increased collaboration among military institutions and consistent support for their initiatives to reduce reliance on imported defence hardware.
He also reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening the nation’s defence capabilities, referencing the recent signing of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Bill into law. The legislation aims to institutionalize local production and maintenance of military equipment for the Armed Forces and security agencies.
“We must continue to support institutions like NDA, AFIT, CED, and BETSL to build a self-reliant defence sector with skilled, competent, and committed military personnel,” the Minister said.
