Nigeria and Egypt are exploring deeper defence-industrial cooperation, including the establishment of an ammunition production line in Nigeria, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s indigenous defence manufacturing capacity.
The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Muhammed Matawalle, led a high-level Nigerian defence delegation on a two-day visit to key defence industry establishments in Egypt to advance bilateral cooperation and promote long-term defence industrial development.
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The delegation comprised officials from the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Intelligence Agency and Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON.
On the first day, the delegation toured the manufacturing facilities of Eagle International for Defence Systems Company in Suez, where members examined various defence systems and equipment produced by the Egyptian company.
Speaking during the tour, Matawalle said the visit was strategic and developmental rather than focused on immediate procurement.
He said Nigeria was seeking sustainable industrial partnerships that would enable both countries, particularly through DICON, to collaborate on the joint production of selected military equipment and systems.
According to the Minister, such partnerships would strengthen Nigeria’s indigenous production capacity, develop specialised technical expertise, increase local content and facilitate the transfer of relevant defence technologies and industrial knowledge.
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On the second day, the Nigerian delegation held discussions with the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production in Cairo on areas of mutual interest.
A major focus of the engagement was the prospect of establishing an ammunition production line in Nigeria through structured technical and industrial cooperation.
Both sides expressed interest in advancing the proposed collaboration and working towards formal agreements that would provide the framework for its implementation.
The initiative is in line with Nigeria’s strategic objective of achieving greater self-reliance in critical defence production, reducing dependence on external sources and strengthening the capacity of the Armed Forces to meet their equipment and operational requirements.
Matawalle said the Federal Government remained committed to developing a modern military-industrial complex that would strengthen national security, promote indigenous innovation and technological development, create economic opportunities and support broader national development.
The Ministry of Defence said the visit represented another step towards establishing sustainable partnerships capable of improving Nigeria’s defence industrial capacity.
It added that further engagements with Egyptian defence institutions would focus on developing concrete frameworks for technology and knowledge transfer and strengthening bilateral defence relations.
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The Ministry expressed confidence that the emerging areas of cooperation would provide long-term strategic benefits for both Nigeria and Egypt while supporting Nigeria’s quest for a self-reliant and technologically advanced defence industrial base.