Khadijat Yusuf
Abuja
The Minister of Defence, General Musa Gwabin (Rtd) says Nigeria attaches great importance to its defence relationship with Türkiye.
The Minister said this in his keynote address at the 7th Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum in Abuja.
According to the Minister, Over the years, Nigeria -Türkiye cooperation has evolved considerably—from traditional military-to-military engagements to broader collaboration encompassing defence equipment acquisition, training, technical assistance, defence industry cooperation and, increasingly, technology transfer and the development of indigenous industrial capabilities.
General Gwabin noted that the 7th Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum provides an important platform to take this relationship to the next level.
"Our objective should be to translate our longstanding bilateral cooperation into practical industrial partnerships, sustainable investments, technology-driven collaboration and enduring defence capabilities. We must therefore progressively move beyond a predominantly buyer–seller relationship towards a more balanced and mutually beneficial partnership founded on joint production, local manufacturing, technology transfer, research and development, maintenance, repair and overhaul, skills development and sustainable industrial cooperation."
He affirm Nigeria is firmly committed to building a strong, self-reliant and globally competitive defence industrial base, noting that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act 2023 provides an important institutional and legal framework for advancing this ambition, while creating greater opportunities for private-sector participation, strategic investment, technology transfer and partnerships with reputable international defence manufacturers.
"Our ambition goes beyond meeting Nigeria’s immediate defence requirements. We seek to develop an industrial ecosystem capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive defence manufacturing hub in Africa—one that creates quality employment, develops highly skilled Nigerian professionals, strengthens domestic supply chains, promotes innovation and contributes to national security as well as broader economic development."
"This vision is particularly important at a time when the global security environment is becoming increasingly complex and technologically driven. Contemporary conflicts are demonstrating the growing importance of unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, advanced communications, cyber capabilities, precision systems, surveillance technologies, space-based assets and other emerging technologies."
He said Nigeria must therefore build the capacity not only to acquire such capabilities, but also to understand, adapt, manufacture, maintain and continuously improve them. This requires strong partnerships between government, the Armed Forces, research institutions, academia and industry, supported by sustained investment in innovation and human capital. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Türkiye’s remarkable transformation into a major and increasingly self-reliant defence industrial power provides valuable lessons for countries seeking to develop indigenous defence capabilities.
He said Türkiye has demonstrated what can be achieved through sustained government commitment, deliberate investment in indigenous research and development, innovation, strong private-sector participation, effective institutional coordination and close collaboration between government, the Armed Forces, research institutions and industry.
Nigeria therefore views the Turkish defence industry not merely as a source of equipment, but as a strategic partner in our defence industrialization journey. We are interested in learning from Türkiye’s experience and adapting relevant aspects of that experience to Nigeria’s own circumstances, requirements and strategic interests.
"We believe that a stronger Nigeria–Türkiye defence industrial partnership can create opportunities not only for our two countries, but also for the wider African market. Nigeria’s strategic location, growing economy, substantial human capital and large domestic market provide a strong foundation for developing partnerships capable of serving both national and regional requirements."
"This Forum is therefore expected to give practical expression to our shared vision. The discussions on strategic defence partnerships, technology transfer, co-production, local content, investment opportunities, incentives, procurement processes and regulatory frameworks are particularly important.
"I encourage our Nigerian and Turkish companies to use this opportunity to identify specific, commercially viable and technologically meaningful areas of cooperation. We should be looking beyond general expressions of interest towards partnerships with clearly defined objectives, timelines, investment commitments, production arrangements and measurable outcomes."
General Gwabin further said, "To our Turkish partners, our message is clear: Nigeria is open to strategic defence-industrial partnerships and responsible investment. We welcome credible partnerships in areas including joint ventures, co-production, technology licensing and transfer, local manufacturing and assembly, component production, maintenance, repair and overhaul, research and development, training, human-capacity development and defence supply-chain integration."
"We are particularly interested in partnerships that strengthen Nigeria’s ability to progressively acquire the skills, technologies and industrial capabilities required to manufacture, maintain, upgrade and sustain defence equipment throughout its life cycle. Technology transfer and local capacity development must therefore remain central considerations in our engagements. The ultimate measure of success should not simply be the delivery of a platform or system, but the extent to which Nigerian personnel, institutions and industries acquire the knowledge and capabilities to sustain and further develop that capability."
"At the same time, we recognise that sustainable industrial partnerships must be based on mutual respect, transparency, trust and clearly defined commercial and strategic interests. We also recognise the legitimate importance of protecting intellectual property, maintaining appropriate regulatory safeguards, ensuring responsible technology transfer and creating a predictable and enabling environment for investment."
"These considerations require sustained engagement among our Governments, defence institutions, regulatory authorities and industries. I am confident that through constructive dialogue, we can address legitimate concerns while ensuring that our cooperation produces tangible and mutually beneficial outcomes. Distinguished Guests, the presence of leading Nigerian and Turkish companies at this Forum presents us with a unique opportunity to move from dialogue to delivery."
NIGERIA'S Defence chief however encourage all participants to approach the Business-to-Business engagements with an open, practical and forward-looking mindset. Let us identify capability gaps, match them with available technologies and expertise, and develop partnerships that create value on both sides.
He said the success of the Forum should ultimately be measured not only by the quality of participants discussions, but by the partnerships established, investments committed, production arrangements concluded, technologies transferred, skills developed and industrial capabilities created.
"I am confident that the deliberations of this Forum will complement the work of the Nigeria–Türkiye Defence Industries Cooperation Committee and provide concrete opportunities for implementation. I urge all participants to identify areas of shared interest, address existing barriers and develop actionable proposals that can be taken forward by the relevant institutions and companies."
He said the Government of Nigeria remains committed to providing an enabling environment for credible and mutually beneficial investments that strengthen our defence industrial capacity, create employment, develop Nigerian expertise, deepen local supply chains and contribute to national security and economic growth.
He said, "Nigeria and Türkiye share a relationship founded on mutual respect, friendship and a common commitment to strengthening peace and security. Our defence-industrial cooperation now offers us an opportunity to give this relationship an even stronger economic and technological dimension.
"Let us seize this opportunity to build partnerships that are innovative, sustainable and mutually beneficial; partnerships that strengthen the strategic interests of Nigeria and Türkiye; and partnerships that contribute to the emergence of a stronger and more capable African defence industrial ecosystem. I am confident that the engagements at this Forum will generate tangible outcomes and open a new and more ambitious chapter in Nigeria–Türkiye defence industry cooperation."
On his part, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) extends warm goodwill and appreciation to the leadership and delegations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Türkiye on the occasion of these important 7th Staff Talks.
He said this engagement comes at a particularly significant period for Nigeria's defence and industrial development.
"Across the world, recent security developments have reinforced a fundamental lesson: a nation's defence strength is not measured only by the equipment it acquires, but increasingly by its capacity to produce, sustain, repair, adapt and innovate."
"It is against this backdrop that the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the sterling leadership of the President and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is repositioning DICON as a strategic instrument for defence industrialization.
He said with renewed government support and the framework provided by the DICON Act 2023, the Corporation is expanding its focus beyond traditional production towards building a more integrated ecosystem driven by innovation, research, private-sector participation, technology transfer, partnerships and indigenous manufacturing.
"For DICON, therefore, cooperation between Nigeria and Türkiye presents opportunities that go beyond the procurement of defence equipment. The real value lies in building productive partnerships that combine Turkish experience and technology with Nigeria's market, human capital and industrial potential. As these Staff Talks progress, our collective responsibility should be to ensure that their outcomes do not end as well-written communiqués or expressions of goodwill. They must translate into actionable programmes, identifiable projects, technology partnerships, production lines, maintenance capabilities and skills development."
He said the ultimate objective should be to build defence production resilience—the capacity of Nigeria to increasingly sustain its defence requirements, withstand disruptions in external supply chains and progressively develop indigenous technological and industrial capability.
"DICON stands ready to play its part as a platform for collaboration between government, the Armed Forces, industry, innovators and our international partners. Let these Staff Talks, therefore, mark not just another meeting between two friendly nations, but another step towards building, producing and innovating together.
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