DICON Gray Lauds Army for Promoting Local Defence Manufacturing

• Seeks sustained military-industry collaboration

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

DICON Gray Insignia (DGI), a Nigerian defence manufacturing company, has hailed the Nigerian Army for opening up opportunities for indigenous defence manufacturers to test and demonstrate their products under practical field conditions.

The organisation, in a statement in Abuja, described the initiative as a significant step towards building the country’s domestic defence industry, calling for sustained military-industry collaboration and greater opportunities for local manufacturers to supply equipment to the armed forces.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DGI, Bem Garba, specifically noted the role played by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, and the military leadership in providing Nigerian technology companies with the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and receive feedback from military end users.

Garba said the exercise provided a practical platform for manufacturers to understand operational requirements, assess their technologies and identify areas for improvement, stressing that closer engagement between the military and local industry was essential to developing a sustainable domestic defence manufacturing sector.

“We sincerely commend the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army leadership for this important initiative. At Jaji, we experienced a genuine willingness to engage Nigerian companies, understand their capabilities, and provide an opportunity for practical evaluation,” he said.

During the Nigerian Army’s field evaluation of military equipment prototypes in Kaduna, DGI presented its tactical shotgun platforms and DGI100 portable intelligent live-fire target system for assessment. Other participating indigenous companies included Proforce, PRIMETEK and Tera Haptic Industries.

The company also acknowledged the contribution of Terra Industries, which provided its KAMA drone for a counter-unmanned aerial vehicle demonstration involving DGI’s tactical shotgun platforms.

Garba said field evaluations went beyond assessing individual products, providing an opportunity for the armed forces to help local manufacturers develop technologies that respond to Nigeria’s security needs.

“A defence manufacturing industry cannot develop in isolation from the institutions it is established to serve. Manufacturers need access to end users, an understanding of operational requirements, opportunities to test their products, and professional feedback to help them improve.

“This is why the Nigerian Army’s initiative is so important. It takes the conversation about indigenous defence manufacturing beyond policy statements and product presentations into practical engagement and field evaluation,” he said.

He added that sustained military engagement could help domestic manufacturers improve their technologies, strengthen technical capabilities, attract investment and establish viable production operations.

DGI also commended the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, for his oversight and support for the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and efforts to strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing.

The company equally praised the Director General of DICON, Maj. Gen. B. I. Alaya, for his efforts to develop Nigerian companies operating under the DICON Related Industries (DRIs) framework.

Garba said building a viable defence industrial base required more than establishing factories, noting that manufacturers needed skilled personnel, reliable supply chains, technology transfer, quality assurance and sustained institutional support.

The company stressed that Nigeria’s ambition to develop a stronger domestic defence industry would depend on sustained cooperation among the federal government, the armed forces, indigenous manufacturers, research institutions, investors and international technical partners.

It said expanding local production could reduce dependence on imported military equipment, create skilled jobs, promote technology transfer, strengthen domestic supply chains and retain more economic value within the country.

However, it emphasised that local production must be backed by rigorous testing, dependable manufacturing standards, transparent procurement processes and predictable demand from government institutions.

“Local manufacturing should never mean compromising quality, safety or operational standards. Our Armed Forces deserve equipment that meets their requirements, and indigenous manufacturers must be prepared to demonstrate that capability.

“However, companies also need a credible pathway from research and development to evaluation, product improvement and, where appropriate, procurement. Without that pathway, it becomes difficult to justify the substantial investment required to establish and sustain local manufacturing operations,” Garba said.

He urged the Chief of Army Staff to sustain and expand the field evaluation initiative, while encouraging other military, security and government institutions to establish similar platforms for engaging indigenous technology companies.

“We may not manufacture everything Nigeria requires today, but we must create the conditions that will enable us to manufacture much more tomorrow,” he added.