DICON bringing Nigeria close to rest of the world in production of military hardware – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has said, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, is bringing Nigeria close to the rest of the world in terms of production of military hardware, saying he was happy to see the first unscrewed or unmanned aerial and land vehicle automated production lines.

President spoke on Wednesday in his remark to mark the 60th anniversary of DICON at the Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, stressing that his belief for tackling the emerging terrorism in Nigeria made him to sign the amended bill of DICON with six months into his administration so as to strengthen their mandate.

Represented at the occasion by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, President Tinubu said, national security remains a top priority of his administration, noting that, “The contemporary security challenges we face as a nation require tying into the concept of the Whole of Government and Society Approach to resolve them decisively.

“With the signing of the DICON Act 2023, we mark a new era for DICON, positioning it as the arrowhead of our Military Industrial Complex, providing a robust framework to drive our strategic objectives in defence manufacturing and technology and supporting the modernisation of our Armed Forces to address national and sub-regional security challenges.

“As we celebrate this diamond jubilee, we also embrace a renewed vision for the future, aligned with our administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” The DICON Evolution Strategy and Road Map 2030, based on the DICON Act 2023 that we launch today, aims to bridge performance gaps in our Military Industrial Complex and reposition DICON as a global player, as was long envisaged by our founding fathers.

“The newly automated production lines for various categories of ammunition, Mine Resistant Ambush Patrol Vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carrier, drones, and unmanned ground vehicles, for instance, will provide our armed forces with advanced equipment tailored to our contemporary challenges providing our troops with the required advantage over our adversaries. Introducing the BAT A-1 Specialised Assault Rifle and its production line will address small arms proliferation issues while equipping our security operatives with modern fighting capabilities.

“The proposed state-of-the-art micro motherboard processing facility will be the backbone of robotics and artificial intelligence innovations, leveraging resources from our newly inaugurated lithium development plant in Nasarawa State.

“Expanding our production capabilities and enhancing our research and development efforts will create jobs, develop human capital, and stimulate economic growth. Establishing a tech hub and R&D lab in Abuja will provide the enabling environment and attract young talent to foster a culture of Innovation, driving Nigeria’s defence industry forward.”

In his speech, the Director General of DICON, Major-General Aniedi Effiong said, after 60 years of its establishment, DICON has evolved significantly and has adapted to the dynamic landscapes of military technology and global defence trends.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Future Frontiers in Africa’s Defence Technology”, the DG said, DICON’s early years was focused on production of small arms and ammunitions, but has in recent years transitioned into production of sophistication of weapons and communications equipment in line with reality of the time.

He said: “In the 21 century, our projects have become diverse, encompassing not only military products, but also ventures into civilian applications that leverage our technological capabilities.

This year’s conference was attended by private security companies from China, Pakistan, Egypt and other countries.