Nigerian Army to deepen patronage of indigenous defence manufacturers

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s resolve to strengthen patronage of indigenous defence manufacturers as part of efforts to enhance operational self-reliance, strengthen national security and build a resilient domestic defence industrial base.

This was contained in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by the Spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Col Appolonia Anele.

According to the statement, the COAS gave the assurance on Tuesday during a working visit to the PROFORCE Group office complex in Ogun State, where he underscored the strategic importance of local production of armoured vehicles and protective equipment in meeting the Nigerian Army’s operational requirements.

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It added that Gen Shaibu commended PROFORCE Group for its innovation and contributions to indigenous defence manufacturing, noting that sustained investment in home-grown capabilities would reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, strengthen equipment availability and support the Nigerian Army’s capacity to respond effectively to evolving security threats.

The COAS further emphasised that the Nigerian Army, under his leadership, would continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s drive for local content development and defence industrialisation, stressing that a robust indigenous defence industry remains critical to national security, technology transfer and long-term military capability development.

It added that, in his response, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PROFORCE Group, Mr Ade Ogundeyin, appreciated the COAS for the visit and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering quality defence products that meet the Nigerian Army’s operational requirements.