By Harriet Tornguvan
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), has urged Nigerian innovators, startups, researchers, and technology firms to channel their expertise toward developing indigenous solutions capable of addressing the country's growing security challenges.
Speaking at the Omniverse Africa 3.0 Summit in Lagos, the Defence Minister said Nigeria must move beyond dependence on imported defence technologies and embrace innovation-driven strategies that strengthen national security while promoting economic growth.
According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, General Musa delivered the keynote address on the theme, “The 70/30 Rule: Why Nigeria’s Security and Innovation Agendas are the Same National Project.”
He stressed that security in the 21st century can no longer rely solely on conventional military hardware, noting that technological innovation has become a critical component of modern defence architecture.
“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, Musa said.
The Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking reforms aimed at repositioning the country's defence sector to meet emerging threats. These reforms, he said, include restructuring military doctrine, acquisition processes, and training programmes to prioritise unmanned systems and robotics, surveillance technologies, cybersecurity, secure communications, artificial intelligence governance, data-driven decision-making tools, and advanced domestic manufacturing.
He noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on industrialisation and economic transformation, adding that reforms being implemented at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) are designed to create a sustainable ecosystem where defence investments stimulate technological innovation, university research, high-tech employment, and commercial opportunities.
General Musa also launched the Defence Futures Lab Pathway, a strategic initiative convened by Kryterion to deepen collaboration between the military and Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.
While unveiling the initiative, the Minister emphasised that the platform was not intended as a procurement exercise but as a forum for long-term capability development and strategic planning.
“This is an opportunity to think ahead, organise better, and explore practical ways of strengthening the wider defence ecosystem,” he said.
Participants at the summit agreed to reconvene in three months to evaluate progress, review emerging technology concepts, and align future actions with the Federal Government’s indigenous defence and innovation strategy.
The development underscores the Federal Government’s growing commitment to leveraging local technological expertise to enhance national security, reduce dependence on foreign defence systems, and drive industrial growth.
