The Federal Government, on Thursday revealed that plans have reached an advanced stage to stop the importation of military equipment owing to the growing rate of indigenous defence companies producing them locally.

It explained that the establishment of local defence companies was boosted after President Bola Tinubu signed the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) bill into law in 2023.

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja at the unveiling of the DICON X-Shield light tactical armoured vehicle and a range of civilian armoured vehicles produced in Nigeria.

Daily Trust reports that the military and other security agencies in Nigeria have relied heavily on importation of their Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), bulletproof vest, rifles and ammunition, among many others.

Speaking at the unveiling, Matawalle, who was represented by the Director-General of DICON, Babatunde Alaya, a Major-General, said the unveiling represented more than a product launch.

He stressed that the unveiling signified the successful convergence of security needs, indigenous capabilities, industrial expertise, and commercial opportunity that will provide defence and security solutions.

According to him, DICON’s joint venture led to the unveiling of an indigenously conceptualised, built light tactical vehicle and other indigenous solutions to executive vehicles by armouring them.

The senior military officer added that the future of Nigeria’s defence and security capability would be built locally through indigenous innovation and strategic partnerships.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer X-Shield, Charles Ibanga, said the firm believes that Nigeria can design, build, and sustain world-class armoured mobility and defence solutions—locally, professionally, and competitively.

He explained that the Light Tactical Armoured Vehicle and civilian armoured platforms were tangible proof of that belief in action, adding that the demand for armoured mobility continues to rise.

The rise, he said, cuts across defence and security agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and the private sector, hence, X-Shield has positioned itself as a credible and dependable indigenous solution provider.

Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in the last quarter of 2023, he said Nigeria’s spending on armoured vehicles exceeded its spending on fuel. (Daily Trust)

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