Thehas called on the federal government and the nation’s Armed Forces to increase the use of locally manufactured military and police equipment as a key strategy to combat insecurity and insurgency.

Secretary-General of DIAN, Kola Balogun, made the appeal during an interview on the sidelines of the African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja. He stressed that consistent patronage of homegrown defence technology would not only enhance Nigeria’s security capabilities but also create employment opportunities and reduce the recruitment pool for insurgent groups.

“It is an idle mind that provides room for ideological manipulation. Patronage of locally made equipment will engage more citizens productively, reduce unemployment, and deny insurgents the chance of luring them into negative ideologies,” Balogun said.
Highlighting existing frameworks, he noted that Nigeria already has policy instruments such as the Local Content Act and Executive Order 5, which are designed to protect and promote indigenous capacity in the defence sector. However, he insisted that a stronger commitment to implementing these policies was essential.

According to Balogun, increasing the adoption of locally produced equipment would also foster regional collaboration and could serve as a stepping stone toward an African-wide military force that relies on African-made technologies.

“It should no longer be about only Nigerian forces but about African forces, harmonising our capabilities to ensure inter-country exchange of equipment and collective security across the continent,” he said.

Balogun added that DIAN would continue to collaborate with relevant agencies to ensure the standardisation of locally made defence products and adherence to global best practices, while encouraging more local producers to join the association.

“The more we encourage local capability, the more we reduce insecurity, strengthen our economy, and secure our future,” he said.

The call comes as Nigeria continues to face persistent security challenges, including banditry, insurgency, and other violent crimes, underscoring the importance of building domestic capacity to support national and regional defence objectives.