Nigeria on path to becoming superpower in production of military equipment – CDS Musa
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa has expressed confidence that Nigeria’s military is poised to become a superpower in the production of military equipment in the coming years.
General Christopher Musa said this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.
According to him. “Sometimes we gain traction and then it goes down, but now, with the signing of the DICON Bill, we are going to make sure it is sustainable. People are interested, people are coming in, we are having a lot of partners going into it, and I can assure you that in a few years, Nigeria too will be a superpower in producing its own equipment,” General Musa stated.
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He explained that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), once active in producing military weapons, had experienced a slowdown over the years. However, he noted that efforts are underway to revive and sustain production.
Despite past challenges, General Musa expressed optimism, highlighting recent achievements in local weapon production.
“We used to assemble guns from DICON but it stopped, that is being restored now. We produce our own ammunition now. Directly we do that for small calibre 7.62mm, we do that and 9mm, we also do that,” he said.
He revealed plans to expand production capabilities further. “We want to do the 5.6 and then go to the higher calibres from 12.7 and above. So those are the things we are working on. You know, the funny thing is that the Nigerian DICON started 60 years last year, the same time as Brazil’s. Brazil is producing unmanned aircraft and unmanned submarines, they have gone very far, and we want to achieve that.”
The CDS emphasised the economic benefits of local military production, stating it would create employment for the youth, improve foreign exchange, and position Nigeria as a regional supplier of military equipment.
He noted the significance of the Federal High Court Abuja’s decision to proscribe the Lakurawa sect as a terrorist organization.
This ruling, he said, provides the military with the “legal backing” to intensify efforts to eliminate the group.
General Musa also pointed out that foreign-purchased weapons, such as the Super Tucano aircraft, previously came with operational restrictions.
However, with the sect now classified as a terrorist organisation, these restrictions no longer apply, allowing the military to use such equipment against them effectively.
