The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reiterated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to supporting indigenous defence manufacturers as part of efforts to expand local production of armoured vehicles and other military equipment.
Shaibu gave the assurance on Tuesday during a working visit to the PROFORCE Group office complex in Ogun State, where he highlighted the importance of domestic defence manufacturing to military efficiency and national security.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the Army Chief commended PROFORCE Group for its innovations and contributions to Nigeria’s indigenous defence industry.
Shaibu said sustained investment in locally manufactured military equipment would reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, improve the availability of essential equipment and strengthen the Army’s capacity to respond to emerging security threats.
He added that the Nigerian Army, under his leadership, would continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to promote local content development and defence industrialisation.
According to the Army Chief, a strong domestic defence industry is essential for national security, technology transfer and the long-term development of military capabilities.
He also stressed the need to expand local manufacturing capacity to enable the military to meet more of its operational requirements without excessive reliance on imported equipment.
Responding to the visit, PROFORCE Group’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ade Ogundeyin, expressed appreciation to Shaibu and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supplying quality defence products that meet the Nigerian Army’s operational needs.
Ogundeyin said the company would continue to support the military by producing reliable equipment and contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s indigenous defence manufacturing sector.
The visit underscores the Nigerian Army’s efforts to strengthen collaboration with local defence manufacturers, improve operational self-reliance, encourage technology transfer and reduce dependence on imported military equipment.
Source: Punch
