The nominee for Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluwede, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise the development of a domestic military industrial complex capable of producing essential defence equipment locally, saying Nigeria cannot continue to depend on foreign suppliers for its security needs.

Speaking during his screening before the Senate in Abuja, General Oluwede described Nigeria’s overreliance on imported military hardware as “unsustainable and costly,” warning that the country must begin to build its own defence production capacity if it hopes to win the long-term war against terrorism and other security threats.
“For Nigeria to move forward, it is imperative that we develop our own local military industrial complex,” he said. “We cannot keep buying equipment from outside. These things are extremely expensive. It is incumbent on the country to develop its capacity to produce the required equipment to prosecute wars and confront emerging security challenges.”

General Oluwede, who was nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to coordinate the nation’s armed forces, said the military had made significant gains in recent years but remained hampered by inadequate resources and external dependence.

He explained that the cost of importing weapons and the delays involved in foreign procurement often undermined Nigeria’s operational effectiveness, adding that local production would ensure both affordability and strategic independence.
“No nation can claim true sovereignty without control over its defence production. Developing a robust local industry will not only strengthen our military readiness but also stimulate industrial growth and create jobs,” he said.

The nominee, who until recently served as the 24th Chief of Army Staff, also identified cyber warfare, misinformation, and inadequate policing as emerging threats that must be addressed through innovation, inter-agency coordination, and capacity building.

While reflecting on his tenure as Army Chief, he acknowledged that military service in Nigeria was both challenging and rewarding, requiring “total dedication, courage, and sacrifice.”
“To be a soldier is to surrender your life for others to live,” he said. “That sacrifice must be matched by national respect and adequate welfare for personnel and their families.”
“It’s very easy for people to say that being a soldier is not like any other job, but I want to tell this other chamber with all due respect that there’s something special. Because as a soldier, one of the things is that you have to sacrifice your entire life for others to live. And for you to be a soldier, there’s some element of madness.
“What do I mean by this? For a right-thinking fellow, when there is danger, you are expected to retreat. But for a soldier, you are expected to go forward and face that challenge.
“So, a soldier is just not a denied person. So it’s important for us to look at soldiers the way they are looked at in other climes. Provided for. And maybe, things will be better for us.

General Oluwede further called for the restructuring and empowerment of the Nigeria Police Force to enable it to handle internal security responsibilities, allowing the military to focus on external defence and counterterrorism.

The Senate President commended the nominee for his forthrightness and record of service, describing him as “a man of action who leads from the front.” The Senate subsequently approved that he “take a bow and go.”