Minister Hosts Chinese Delegation On Repositioning Nigeria’s Defence Industry

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has emphasised the Federal Government’s unrelenting resolve to reposition the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) into a world-class military production entity.

A statement by the Personal Assistant (Media), Office of the minister of State for Defence
Ahmad Dan-wudil said Matawalle stated this when he received a high-level delegation from China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) in his office at the Ministry of Defence, Abuja.

The delegation, led by Mr. TIAN Bei, Deputy General Manager of NORINCO’s Africa-America Department, visited the minister as part of a sustained military-industrial engagement initiated in 2024 to fortify Nigeria’s indigenous defence architecture through mutually beneficial alliances with globally established defence players.

According to the minister of State for Defence, “Our doctrine is clear: Nigeria must attain self-reliance in defence production. We are open to serious partners who are ready to respect our sovereignty, transfer critical technology, and build genuine local capacity,”.

“This strategic partnership with NORINCO, a globally renowned defence conglomerate, is projected to deliver decisive outcomes in critical areas such as; Comprehensive technology transfer, Advanced training and capacity-building, and Boosting of indigenous content in defence manufacturing”

These initiatives according to the minister are in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Commander-in-Chief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritizes indigenous capability development, operational autonomy, and the security of the nation through industrialised defence solutions.

Matawalle also assured the delegation of Nigeria’s full support, stating that the Ministry of Defence stands ready to support all credible efforts aimed at transforming the nation into a regional hub for military hardware production.

The high-level engagement reflects Nigeria’s strategic pivot towards self-sustaining military industrialisation, mission-ready capacity, and a fortified sovereign defence posture.