The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (Rtd), has urged Nigerian innovators, startups, and researchers to focus on creating local solutions for the country’s security issues.
Musa also shared that his Ministry has started changing its approach, procurement methods, and training to focus on areas like unmanned systems and robotics.
The retired General made these remarks in Lagos at the Omniverse Africa 3.0 Summit. He pointed out that national security today cannot rely only on traditional military equipment.
This information was shared in a statement on Thursday night by his Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Leah Katung-Babatunde.
The Minister listed key areas that are being restructured. These include surveillance technologies, cybersecurity and resilience, secure communications, AI governance, data-driven decision tools, and advanced domestic manufacturing.
In his keynote address titled "The 70/30 Rule: Why Nigeria’s Security and Innovation Agenda are the Same National Project," he emphasized the need for Nigeria to shift from being a consumer to a producer of defence technology.
“The future requires us to complement courage with technology, foresight, industrial capability, and innovation. We must secure the nation today, but we must also build the capabilities that will secure the nation tomorrow,” he stated.
Musa connected this initiative to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for industrialisation. He noted that the ongoing reforms at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria aim to create a system where defence investments promote economic growth, high-tech jobs, university research, and new commercial markets.
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