The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for increased investment in indigenous technology and local defence manufacturing to reduce Africa’s reliance on foreign military equipment and strengthen the continent’s security autonomy.
Shaibu made the call during an official visit to the Rwanda Engineering and Manufacturing Corporation (REMCO) in Kigali, where he assessed the company’s precision engineering, machining, metal casting and machinery fabrication operations.
The Army Chief was received by REMCO’s Chief Executive Officer, Emile Rungambajye, during the visit.
According to a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, Shaibu stressed the need for African countries to invest in research and development, harness local technical expertise and strengthen cross-border industrial partnerships to develop home-grown solutions to evolving security threats.
The visit also highlighted efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s domestic defence industrial base through the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), in line with the Army Chief’s strategic objective of building a combat-ready, self-sustaining and adaptable military force.
Shaibu observed that expanding local manufacturing capacity was critical to improving equipment availability, streamlining maintenance supply chains and reducing African armed forces’ vulnerability to disruptions in global defence supply networks.
The engagement also underscored the importance of African innovation, sustainable manufacturing ecosystems and industrial cooperation in strengthening long-term continental security and technological self-reliance.
