Emmanuel Daudu
The Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence, Ambassador Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, has called for a deepening of defence and security cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
The call was made during a high-level engagement at the House of Lords, British Parliament, where Ambassador Aduda met with Lord Jonathan Marland, Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).
The meeting focused on expanding bilateral defence collaboration amid growing global security challenges. Top of the agenda was the revitalization of Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation (DICON), with a push to reposition the agency as a commercially viable and globally competitive entity.
Ambassador Aduda, a former Governor of OPEC, stressed Nigeria’s commitment to transforming DICON into an institution capable of addressing both local and international defence needs. He advocated for a clearer separation of DICON’s regulatory and commercial mandates to enhance transparency, improve efficiency, and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
“DICON holds enormous potential,” Ambassador Aduda stated. “But to unlock this, we must restructure its operations within a clearly defined governance framework that can inspire investor confidence and foster sustainable international partnerships.”
Lord Marland welcomed the reform agenda and reiterated the UK’s readiness to support Nigeria’s defence modernization drive.
He noted the potential for joint ventures, technology co-development, and knowledge transfer between Nigerian and British firms, facilitated through platforms like the CWEIC.
Both sides discussed opportunities for investment in defence infrastructure, specialized training, and joint production initiatives. The dialogue ended with a commitment to develop a follow-up framework involving stakeholders from the public and private sectors of both countries.
This framework will pave the way for roundtable meetings, technical assessments, and business-to-business engagements aimed at fostering long-term defence industrial cooperation.
As Nigeria seeks to emerge as a regional leader in defence innovation, Ambassador Aduda’s strategic engagement in London signals a renewed drive for visionary policy reform and robust international partnerships.
Ambassador Aduda is also a recipient of the prestigious African Achievers Award.
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