The Federal Government has commissioned the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Institute of Technology in Kaduna State as part of efforts to strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing, technological innovation and human capital development in the country’s defence sector.
According to an official statement signed by Queeneth Iheoma-Hart, for the Director of Information and Public Relations, the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, inaugurated the DICON Institute of Technology (DIT) in Kakuri, Kaduna, alongside a solar power system at the headquarters of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Matawalle said the establishment of the institute reflects the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to advancing local defence industrialisation through education, research, innovation and technological development.
He noted that in an increasingly complex global security environment, national defence depends not only on sophisticated military hardware but also on a highly skilled workforce capable of driving innovation and sustaining indigenous production.
Describing the inauguration as a strategic milestone, the Minister said the institute would serve as a centre for nurturing the technical expertise and innovation required to strengthen Nigeria’s industrial and technological resilience.
He called on government institutions, industry players, academic institutions and development partners to support the institute’s mission of producing the skilled manpower needed to advance Nigeria’s defence industry and enhance national security.
Dr. Matawalle also commended the leadership of DICON, led by its Director General, Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya, for what he described as a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s pursuit of self-reliance in defence production and technological advancement.
The DICON Institute of Technology is the country’s first statutory tertiary institution established specifically to develop the skilled workforce required to support a modern, sustainable and self-reliant defence industry.
In his remarks, the Director General of DICON, Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the DICON Act 2023 into law, which paved the way for the establishment of the institute.
He also acknowledged the support of the Honourable Minister of Defence, the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the National Board for Technical Education and other stakeholders who contributed to the successful take-off of the institution.
Major General Alaya said the institute is committed to producing globally competitive engineers, technologists and innovators equipped with the knowledge, technical skills and professional values needed to advance Nigeria’s defence industry and contribute to national development.
According to him, the institution will deliver defence-focused academic programmes supported by modern laboratories and strategic partnerships to prepare graduates for careers in an increasingly competitive global technology environment.
Established under the Defence Industries Corporation Act of 1964, DICON has remained Nigeria’s foremost defence manufacturing institution, providing equipment and military hardware to the Armed Forces for more than six decades.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, representatives of the Kaduna State Governor, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Emir of Zazzau, as well as other senior military officers, government officials and traditional rulers.
