President Bola Tinubu has invited African countries and global defence technology firms to partner with Nigeria, pledging cooperation based on mutual trust and respect as the country hosts the maiden Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX).
Tinubu made the call at the opening ceremony of AFRIDEX 2026, which runs from October 26 to 30 at Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.

Acknowledging that security threats are becoming increasingly complex and interconnected, the President urged African defence partners and global innovators in artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to collaborate with Nigeria to promote peace and stability across the continent.

Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu said those entrusted with safeguarding peace must do everything within their means to preserve it.

He stressed that although peace has no alternative, Africa could not afford to ignore emerging trends in military equipment, personnel training and cooperation based on shared values.
The President said peace and stability create opportunities, strengthen public confidence in institutions and enable societies to approach the future with greater certainty.

He called for a coordinated approach to ensure that defence partnerships deliver tangible benefits, noting that Nigeria has a large pool of talented young people who need opportunities to thrive.

Tinubu urged participants to use the exhibition to exchange knowledge, hold bilateral meetings, sign memoranda of understanding and explore investment opportunities in Nigeria.
“Let the partnerships formed here strengthen our readiness. Let the knowledge exchanged here inspire our innovators. And let the commitments made here produce tangible results that our people can see and experience,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), urged participants to invest in Nigeria’s defence sector, announcing plans for large-scale local production of defence hardware within the next year.

He said the planned production would serve domestic needs and support exports, particularly to other African countries.

Musa added that bilateral and multilateral engagements scheduled during the exhibition would strengthen relations among defence establishments, government representatives, industry players and strategic partners.

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, described AFRIDEX as a dynamic platform capable of achieving the objectives for which it was established.

In separate goodwill messages, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, and the representative of the ECOWAS Commission, Birame Diop, expressed optimism that the exhibition would provide an inclusive platform for African countries to strengthen and revitalise their defence industries.

The Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General B.I. Alaya, commended Tinubu for his continued support for the corporation and pledged to enhance its production capacity.

After the opening ceremony, Musa inspected exhibition stands showcasing products and technologies from participating countries and held an executive meeting with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).

Other dignitaries at the event included the Chief of Defence Staff, serving and former service chiefs, the chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Defence, and representatives from more than 20 African countries.