Although Nigeria had made some attempts at developing her defense industries as early as the 1960s through the establishment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
That effort did not yield many outcomes until early in the twenty-first century when the Corporation entered into some strategic alliances with foreign firms to commence the production of light weapons and munitions.
In recent times, the Nigeria Government has been engaged in a massive effort to modernize and upgrade her military by increasing her defence budget and introducing new policies and programs that would improve the welfare and wellbeing of her military personnel.
The ongoing war with Boko Haram and ISWAP in the northeast, Banditry in the Northwest and North Central regions, militancy in the South-south, and secessionist agitations in the south-east of the country have forced the government to drastically ramp up military spending and recruitment and invest vigorously in military equipment acquisition.
Concurrently with the process of building more capable and innovative armed forces, Nigeria is also working to strengthen its military-industrial base. Domestic defense industrialization to increase ‘localization’ of military spending will help Nigeria to meet her military needs and raise her profile in the global defence sector.
Nigeria has recorded some positive development in recent times in its quest to encourage local production of military equipment. The Nigerian Government’s vision to develop the country’s indigenous capacity to design and manufacture military equipment is beginning to yield positive results as more indigenous companies are starting to set up shops. It may seem slow, but the country is sure on its way to becoming self-reliant.
While total domestic defense self-sufficiency might seem unattainable in the nearest future, indigenous defense industrialization still has its undeniable benefits and is still strategically rewarding. Even small defense industrial bases can provide massive military advantages in terms of boosting the capacity of armed forces to adapt to ever-changing circumstances on the battlefield.
According to a report by the World Bank, Nigeria stands as the largest military spender in sub-Saharan Africa. With increased military spending, Nigeria has been vigorously endorsing the idea of building a strong indigenous defence manufacturing capacity and seeking investments from both foreign and domestic companies alike in the sector.
Needless to say, an indigenous defense industry would create jobs for locals, contribute to economic diversification, produce exportable goods, and enhance the high-tech sector in their economies.
Since indigenous companies understand the terrain and as such address battlefield problems of the country’s armed forces better, they can offer more tailor-made solutions to the challenges faced by the military. All these efforts will certainly pay off and result in better and more efficient armed forces.
One of the few companies spearheading this drive is Armour-shield Solutions Limited, a Nigerian defence, and Security company. Armour-shield designs and manufactures armoured and ballistic systems such as Mobile Ballistic Shelters, Mobile Ballistic Shields, Ballistic Doors, Gates, and Tactical Ballistic Blankets and Vests to mention a few.
Armour-shield has, through research and development, developed a lineup of tested, evaluated, and ready-to-deploy armoured and ballistic products and solutions, which cut across a wide range of Defence, Security, Public, and Private sector applications.
Armour-shield seeks to vigorously pursue research and development in the design and manufacture of defence equipment thereby boosting Nigeria’s military self-reliance and reducing imports.
The aim is to develop human capital, provide practical solutions and capabilities, drive technological advancements, and decrease Nigeria’s reliance on outside powers for its security needs – amid exacerbating internal tensions and regional instability in countries surrounding the country.
In essence, it is safe to say that a self-sufficient defense industry would contribute to Nigeria’s national security and economic diversification beyond the country’s traditional oil sector.
As the nation faces heightened security challenges across the country, providing an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and develop indigenous capabilities in the defence sector will, ultimately, boost the nation’s military industrialization while also supporting gallant troops with the much-needed equipment and military hardware to confront and perhaps eliminate the seeming growing advances of non-state actors within Nigeria’s territories.