The Nigerian government has intensified efforts to achieve self-reliance in arms production through strategic partnerships with local defence manufacturers, as demonstrated by a recent high-level meeting between the Minister of State for Defence and a leading defence technology company.
Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, received a delegation from D7G Limited at his office in the Ministry of Defence, Ship House, Abuja. The delegation was led by the company's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Osman Chennar.
According to a statement issued by Ahmad Dan-Wudil, Personal Assistant on Media to the Minister's Office, the meeting forms part of ongoing engagements with licensed domestic defence manufacturers. These consultations aim to enhance national defence production capabilities in line with Nigeria's Defence Industrialization Policy.
D7G Limited, a registered member of the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN), specializes in research, design, manufacturing, and integration of military-grade systems and platforms.
During the meeting, Minister Matawalle reiterated his commitment to building and supporting a sustainable domestic defence industry capable of responding to Nigeria's security needs. He commended D7G Limited for its forward-looking investments in defence production infrastructure.
The Minister emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration is focused on reducing external dependency in line with Nigeria's national defence and security priorities.
"The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government's readiness to collaborate with qualified defence companies to strengthen Nigeria's military-industrial base and ensure strategic autonomy in arms production, logistics support, and system sustainment," the statement read.
This initiative aligns with recent calls by the Nigerian Senate for increased local value addition to exported raw materials, reflecting a broader national strategy to boost domestic production capabilities across various sectors.
The partnership with D7G Limited represents a significant step toward achieving Nigeria's strategic objectives of self-reliance in military procurement, which could potentially reduce foreign exchange expenditure on defence imports while creating jobs and technological expertise within the country.
