The Nigerian Army has pledged to deepen patronage of indigenous defence manufacturers to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, improve equipment availability and strengthen the military’s capacity to tackle evolving security threats.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, gave the assurance during his visits to PROFORCE Group and Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL) in Ogun State.
Shaibu, in a statement by the Army’s spokesperson, Col. Appolonia Anele, also urged the private sector to invest in the skills and innovative potential of Nigerian youths, describing youth empowerment and indigenous defence production as ‘critical to national security and economic development.’
He said stronger collaboration between the Nigerian Army, local manufacturers and private investors would accelerate technological development, enhance operational effectiveness and build a sustainable domestic defence industrial base.
During his visit to PROFORCE, the Army chief underscored the strategic importance of locally manufactured armoured vehicles and protective equipment in meeting the military’s operational requirements.
He commended the company for its innovation and contributions to indigenous defence manufacturing, noting that sustained investment in local production would reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and strengthen the Army’s ability to respond to security threats.
Shaibu reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s drive for local content development and defence industrialisation, stressing that a robust domestic defence industry was essential to national security, technology transfer and long-term military capability development.
At EPAIL, the COAS said Nigeria’s youthful population represented a significant national asset whose potential could be harnessed through targeted investment, mentorship and skills development.
He noted that investing in young Nigerians would promote innovation, create employment opportunities and generate home-grown solutions to the country’s security challenges.
Shaibu commended EPAIL for developing a skilled, youthful workforce dedicated to producing protective equipment for the military and other security agencies.
He said investments in local manufacturing and human capital development would improve troop protection and operational readiness while stimulating industrial growth and technological innovation.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PROFORCE Group, Ade Ogundeyin, thanked the COAS for the visit and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to producing quality defence equipment that meets the Army’s operational requirements.
Similarly, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EPAIL, Kola Balogun, commended Shaibu for sustaining military pressure on criminal elements across the country.
Balogun said the company had the capacity to supply protective equipment to troops, highlighting the contributions of its young workforce to developing products tailored to the operational needs of security agencies.
The visits, according to the Army, underscored its renewed emphasis on public-private sector collaboration, indigenous technology and youth development as part of efforts to strengthen military self-reliance and Nigeria’s broader national security architecture.