The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has reaffirmed Defence Headquarters’ commitment to supporting the transformation of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) into a world-class defence manufacturing institution capable of meeting the operational needs of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
According to an official statement signed by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, General Oluyede gave the assurance during a strategic visit to the DICON Ordnance Factory in Kakuri, Kaduna, where he assessed the corporation’s production capacity and ongoing efforts to strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing.
The CDS toured DICON’s production and research facilities and received briefings from the Director-General of the corporation, Major General BI Alaya, on its manufacturing capabilities, ongoing projects and future expansion plans.
During the inspection, General Oluyede also visited the corporation’s Research and Development facilities, where he was presented with a range of locally developed defence products showcasing Nigeria’s growing indigenous technological capacity.
Commending the management and workforce of DICON, the Defence Chief described local defence production as a strategic imperative for enhancing Nigeria’s military capability. He said expanding indigenous manufacturing would reduce dependence on foreign military hardware, conserve foreign exchange and guarantee sustainable logistics support for the Armed Forces.
Oluyede stressed that strengthening DICON remains a key component of the Armed Forces’ broader objective of building a resilient, self-sufficient and technologically advanced military capable of addressing evolving security challenges.
He further noted that the Federal Government’s renewed emphasis on domestic defence production would significantly improve operational readiness while accelerating Nigeria’s defence industrialisation drive.
The statement added that the visit reflects the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment under General Oluyede’s leadership to promoting innovation and supporting indigenous research and development as critical pillars for strengthening national defence capabilities.
The CDS was accompanied on the visit by the Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General OT Olatoye, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Major General ASM Wase, and other senior military officers.
