The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), has called for greater investment in indigenous defence research, technology development and industrial capacity to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on external sources for critical military technologies.
Musa made the call while declaring open, the maiden edition of the Defence Futures Summit 2026, an initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s defence capabilities through technological innovation, industrial development and collaboration among government, the Armed Forces, academia and the private sector.
The summit, themed “Sovereign Digital Backbone and Defence Innovation,” emerged from the Defence Roundtable held in June 2026, where the need to shape the future of Nigeria’s defence capabilities in response to the changing character of warfare was discussed.
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In his opening address, the Minister described the summit as an important step towards building a more self-reliant, resilient and technologically empowered defence sector, aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
He commended Kryterion and the Defence Future Lab for laying the foundation for the initiative in collaboration with his office, noting that the gathering brought together government representatives, military personnel, industry stakeholders, academics and technology innovators.
The Minister observed that modern warfare was increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cyber capabilities, data-driven intelligence and advanced digital infrastructure.
He stressed that Nigeria’s defence preparedness must therefore extend beyond conventional military hardware to encompass the technologies, knowledge and digital systems shaping future operational environments.
Musa urged the country to invest in indigenous research and development, support local innovators, strengthen its defence industrial base and develop partnerships capable of translating Nigerian expertise into practical capabilities for the Armed Forces.
He explained that the summit was intended to serve as more than a forum for speeches and presentations, emphasising its role as a platform for turning ideas into solutions, partnerships into projects and innovation into operational capability.
The Defence Minister expressed confidence in Nigeria’s talent and creative potential, while highlighting the need for a supportive ecosystem, sustained commitment and purposeful collaboration between government and the private sector.
The Minister stated that the expectation was that the Defence Futures Summit would develop into a credible and enduring platform for advancing defence innovation, strengthening technological sovereignty and positioning Nigeria as a contributor to Africa’s evolving defence technology landscape.
He commended the partners, organisers and participants for their contributions to the initiative and encouraged them to engage constructively, pursue bold ideas and build collaborations capable of delivering measurable benefits to national security.
Musa subsequently declared the maiden edition of the Defence Futures Summit 2026 open.
