Emmanuel Daudu
Nigeria’s quest to overcome its security challenges received a fresh boost on Thursday as the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, challenged innovators, startups and researchers to develop indigenous technologies capable of strengthening the country’s defence architecture.
Speaking at the Omniverse Africa 3.0 Summit in Lagos, General Musa declared that modern security demands more than conventional military hardware, urging Nigeria to transition from being a consumer of defence technology to becoming a producer of homegrown solutions. The Minister’s remarks were contained in a statement signed by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence.
Delivering a keynote address titled “The 70/30 Rule: Why Nigeria’s Security and Innovation Agendas are the Same National Project,” the Defence Minister said the future of national security would be driven by technology, industrial capability and innovation alongside military strength.
“The future requires us to complement courage with technology, foresight, industrial capability, and innovation,” he said. “We must secure the nation today, but we must also build the capabilities that will secure the nation tomorrow.”
General Musa disclosed that the Ministry of Defence is already restructuring its doctrine, procurement processes and training systems to prioritise critical areas such as unmanned systems and robotics, surveillance technologies, cybersecurity, secure communications, artificial intelligence governance, data-driven decision-making tools and advanced domestic manufacturing.
He explained that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on industrialisation, adding that ongoing reforms at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) are designed to create an ecosystem where defence investments stimulate economic growth, generate high-tech jobs, support university research and open new commercial opportunities.
As part of efforts to deepen collaboration between the military and technology ecosystem, the Minister launched the Defence Futures Lab Pathway, a side event convened by Kryterion.
He, however, cautioned participants against viewing the initiative as a procurement platform, stressing that its primary objective is to foster capability development, innovation and long-term strategic planning for the defence sector.
“This is an opportunity to think ahead, organise better, and explore practical ways of strengthening the wider defence ecosystem,” he stated.
Participants at the roundtable session agreed to reconvene in three months to review progress, assess emerging technology concepts and align future actions with the Federal Government’s indigenous defence strategy.
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