Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has called for increased investment in indigenous defence technology, local manufacturing and digital infrastructure to strengthen the country’s capacity to tackle insecurity and protect its national interests.
Musa made the call on October 14, 2026, at the Defence Futures Summit organised by Kryterion Africa under the theme, Sovereign Digital Backbone and Defence Innovation.
The summit brought together defence leaders, international partners and technology innovators to examine how technological advancement could improve Nigeria’s defence capabilities and support more effective responses to evolving security threats.
The minister stressed that Nigeria must develop homegrown technological solutions tailored to its unique security challenges rather than depend excessively on externally developed systems and imported equipment.
He emphasised that building a sovereign digital backbone would require sustained investment in Nigerian technology development, greater participation by local manufacturers and partnerships that facilitate the transfer of technical knowledge and expertise.
According to the position outlined at the summit, strengthening domestic technological capacity would enable Nigeria to develop innovative defence solutions while improving its ability to protect sensitive information, secure critical infrastructure and respond to emerging threats.
Musa also highlighted the importance of collaboration between the defence establishment, domestic industries, research institutions and technology innovators.
Such cooperation, he noted, could support the development of locally produced equipment and digital systems while expanding opportunities for Nigerian engineers, scientists and technology companies to contribute to national security.
The emphasis on indigenous defence production comes amid Nigeria’s continuing efforts to address multiple security challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities affecting communities across the country.
Developing local defence technology could also help strengthen maintenance capacity, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and improve the country’s ability to adapt equipment and systems to its operational requirements.
However, achieving these objectives would require sustained funding, technical expertise, effective research and development programmes, reliable infrastructure and partnerships that deliver measurable improvements in domestic production capabilities.
The Defence Futures Summit provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss how digital innovation and technological self-reliance could contribute to a more responsive and capable defence system.
Musa’s call reinforces the growing policy focus on local content, defence manufacturing and digital sovereignty as Nigeria seeks to strengthen its national security architecture.
The extent to which these ambitions translate into operational improvements will depend on the implementation of policies, investment in domestic industries and the successful development and deployment of technologies suited to Nigeria’s security needs.
