Shettima calls for strategic review of existing partnerships with Thailand

Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), has said Nigeria is firmly committed to building a strong, self-reliant and globally competitive defence industrial base.

According to the minister, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act 2023 provides an important institutional and legal framework for advancing this ambition, while creating greater opportunities for private-sector participation, strategic investment, technology transfer and partnerships with reputable international defence manufacturers.

He stated this at the seventh Nigeria-Türkiye Defence Industry Business Forum, held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, yesterday.

Musa said: “Our ambition goes beyond meeting Nigeria’s immediate defence requirements. We seek to develop an industrial ecosystem capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive defence manufacturing hub in Africa—one that creates quality employment, develops highly skilled Nigerian professionals, strengthens domestic supply chains, promotes innovation and contributes to national security, as well as broader economic development.”

The Minister of Defence, who was the keynote speaker, said the defence business forum provides an important platform to take this relationship to the next level.

Observing that the global security environment was becoming increasingly complex and technologically driven, Musa said contemporary conflicts were demonstrating the growing importance of unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, advanced communications, cyber capabilities, precision systems, surveillance technologies, space-based assets and other emerging technologies.

The Head of the Turkish Defence Delegation, Mr Gokman Ucar, said the forum could open a new chapter in the Nigeria-Türkiye defence partnership by bringing companies from the two countries together.

He added that discussions would also focus on joint production and technology transfer.

On his part, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, said the DICON Act 2023 had created a framework to strengthen local production, private-sector participation, and strategic partnerships.

He stressed that the forum provided an opportunity for both countries to move beyond dialogue and explore practical opportunities for investment, local production and long-term industrial cooperation.

The Minister of State tasked critical stakeholders with exploring practical models for joint production, technology licensing, co-development and localisation.

Earlier, in a goodwill message, the Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Maj.-Gen Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya, said DICON was expanding its focus beyond traditional production towards building a more integrated ecosystem driven by innovation, research, private-sector participation, technology transfer, partnerships and indigenous manufacturing.

He added that the cooperation between Nigeria and Türkiye presented opportunities that went beyond the procurement of defence equipment.

In another development, Vice President Kashim Shettima renewed his push for stronger ties.

He did this when he received a high-level delegation from Thailand led by its Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Shettima, who spoke on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, said Nigeria was seeking to move its relationship with Thailand beyond traditional areas of engagement, particularly crude oil and rice production, to a broader strategic partnership capable of unlocking opportunities across the economy.

The Vice President said Thailand’s experience in deploying intermediate technology, particularly in agriculture, presented significant opportunities for Nigeria as the country seeks to modernise production, improve productivity and strengthen economic self-reliance.