Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, on Monday, August 13, 2024 said Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) can produce enough weaponries for use by the Security forces in the Country and in extension to many other African Nations.
The Minister also noted that many African countries are now patronizing Nigeria by purchasing ammunition and weapons from DICON.
Matawalle revealed this during a press conference at the 60th anniversary celebration of DICON and the first Edition of Africa Defence Industries Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.
DICON was established in 1964 to improve nationwide security by minimising dependency on foreign arms.
According to him, being the first to organize the maiden Africa Defence Industries conference and exhibition in Nigeria is a great advantage to the security corporation as it depicts the seriousness of the Ministry of Defence as well as the new DICON under the current administration.
He said: “ We want to change the narrative of DICON. Many people have been asking me at 60 years old, what has DICON done? What are we doing? That we are buying foreign equipment, foreign ammunition and other armaments that DICON cannot yet produce.
The Minister emphasized that with the new leadership, the Ministry is working tirelessly to ensure that DICON becomes an independent Corporation with the capacity to produce armaments, adding that their goal is to bring in more investors especially indigenous ones who will have the opportunity to invest as it is done around the world.
“Now, most of the countries, not just the government, are partnering with this Indigenous defence industry for the production of high-tech military hardware’’. He added.
According to him, over 150 other foreign nationals would be allowed to exhibit their skill and capacity during the fair in Nigeria.
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Matawalle Stressed that DICON is completely transformed and assured that within a short time, Nigerians will witness the Defence Corporation with large arms production.
“We cannot be able to inform the public everything about our capability or capacity for security reasons. But we assure you that we have the capacity, we have the capability to produce and as you know, many countries, many African countries now are coming to DICON for the procurement of their arms and ammunition.” He added.
He further said the new DICON Act 2023 has the prospective to significantly contribute to Nigeria's national development and security by "boosting foreign exchange earnings through local production of defence equipment, creating jobs for skilled Nigerians, and reducing capital flight to foreign countries."
