Defence Minister Christopher Musa has called for increased investment in indigenous technology, artificial intelligence and local manufacturing to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign defence suppliers, as an aerospace expert urged the country to begin producing aircraft components and work towards manufacturing complete aircraft.
Musa made the call on Wednesday at the maiden Defence Futures Summit 2026 in Abuja, where government officials and industry experts examined how technological innovation and domestic industrial capacity could strengthen Nigeria’s national security.
The summit, held at the Armed Forces Event and Multipurpose Centre in Asokoro, had the theme, “Sovereign Digital Backbone and Defence Innovation”.
Musa said the summit was conceived as part of efforts to transform Nigeria’s security architecture and position the country to anticipate emerging threats rather than merely react to changes in modern warfare.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria had the intellectual capacity, skilled workforce and innovative potential to compete in the evolving global defence environment, despite the emerging state of information and communication technology and artificial intelligence within the country’s defence ecosystem.
The minister said Nigeria’s defence strategy must extend beyond conventional military hardware to encompass the technological infrastructure and knowledge systems required to support modern military operations.
He called for sustained investment in local innovators, research institutions, defence industries and human capital development, warning that Nigeria could not afford to remain perpetually dependent on foreign sources for critical defence technologies.
Musa also emphasised the importance of private-sector partnerships in building a resilient domestic defence industry capable of translating Nigerian ingenuity into practical capabilities for the armed forces.
He pledged the Ministry of Defence’s support for initiatives aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity, promoting technological innovation and building a more self-reliant defence sector.
Expert urges Nigeria to begin aircraft manufacturing
The push for indigenous defence technology was echoed by aerospace expert Paul Jemitola, a retired Air Vice Marshal and founder and chief executive of Vector Aeronautics, who argued that Nigeria could begin building an aerospace manufacturing industry by producing aircraft components locally.
Speaking at the summit, Jemitola said the country’s pool of aerospace engineering graduates offered a foundation for developing local businesses that could supply parts to the international aviation industry.
“We have a lot of aerospace engineering graduates,” he said. “There are small components of aircraft that they can form companies around and begin to manufacture — housing components, spare parts, elements of engines, software, tyres and more.”
He went further, declaring: “Nigeria should have made aircraft since yesterday.”
Rather than attempting to manufacture complete aircraft immediately, Jemitola argued that Nigerian companies could start with smaller components and gradually expand into more complex production as their technical expertise and industrial capacity grew.
He cited opportunities for local manufacturers to supply components to major international aircraft makers, provided they could meet the industry’s rigorous technical specifications, certification requirements and safety standards.
Achieving this, he said, would require supportive government policies, investment, industry partnerships and a business environment that enables Nigerian engineering firms to compete in global supply chains.
Jemitola also highlighted opportunities in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and general aviation, arguing that domestic expertise could be developed to support both defence applications and wider aviation needs.
He envisaged a future in which small aircraft could improve connections between Nigerian cities, although achieving that goal would require appropriate aviation infrastructure, trained personnel and effective safety oversight.
Summit calls for stronger links between security and industry
The summit’s founder and convener, retired Colonel Felix Alaita, also called for a comprehensive Defence Renewal Architecture linking Nigeria’s security priorities with industrial development, research institutions, private-sector expertise and the creative potential of young Nigerians.
Alaita said the initiative was designed to improve operational readiness, strengthen institutional accountability and promote the responsible adoption of technology in addressing the country’s security challenges.
He outlined four priorities: improving operational readiness and security response, strengthening the indigenous defence industry, investing in human capital and youth development, and promoting social understanding and the creative economy.
He further advocated stronger collaboration among government, industry, academia and international partners to advance indigenous manufacturing in areas including energy, battery development and aircraft production, drawing on expertise available within institutions such as the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Alaita also stressed the importance of youth empowerment, skills development, job creation and knowledge sharing, urging participants to turn their proposals into practical solutions and measurable outcomes.
From ambition to domestic production
The positions advanced by Musa, Jemitola and Alaita point to a common challenge: converting Nigeria’s technical talent and defence ambitions into a sustainable domestic industrial base.
For the defence sector, that means developing technologies and equipment that can meet the armed forces’ operational needs while reducing exposure to foreign supply constraints. For the aerospace industry, it means building the engineering, manufacturing and certification capabilities needed to produce components that meet international standards.
Progress will depend on sustained investment in research and development, skilled personnel, reliable supply chains, private-sector participation and long-term policy support.
Nigeria’s task, therefore, is not simply to embrace defence innovation but to build the industrial capacity to turn local knowledge into products, technologies and capabilities that can be deployed and sustained.
The impact of the summit will ultimately be measured by whether its proposals lead to concrete manufacturing projects, stronger domestic defence capabilities and a more competitive Nigerian aerospace industry.
