By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for stronger African defence industries and greater investment in indigenous technologies to develop homegrown security solutions and reduce the continent’s dependence on foreign military equipment.
Shaibu made the call during a visit to the Rwanda Engineering and Manufacturing Corporation (REMCO) in Kigali, Rwanda, on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, as part of his official working visit to the country.
According to an official statement signed by Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, the COAS, who was received by REMCO Chief Executive Officer, Mr Emile Rungambajye, examined the corporation’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities and underscored the strategic importance of African innovation in building sustainable defence systems.
He stressed the need for African countries to harness local expertise, invest in research and development, and establish stronger technological partnerships to produce homegrown solutions to contemporary security challenges.
Established in 2018, REMCO is a government-owned engineering and manufacturing enterprise specialising in precision engineering, machining, metal casting, fabrication, and the production of machinery, equipment and spare parts.
The corporation’s expanding capabilities, the statement noted, demonstrate Africa’s potential to develop critical technologies, strengthen local production and progressively reduce dependence on foreign supply chains.
The visit also highlighted the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s indigenous defence-industrial base through institutions such as the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
According to the statement, stronger local manufacturing capabilities would help sustain military operations, improve equipment availability, enhance maintenance capacity and promote technological innovation within the Nigerian Army.
The initiative also aligns with the COAS’s vision of transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of responding effectively to emerging security threats.
Beyond bilateral military cooperation, the engagement underscored the need for African-led technological development as a foundation for continental security, economic resilience and strategic autonomy.
The statement observed that evolving security threats and uncertainties in global defence supply chains had reinforced the need for African countries to strengthen indigenous research, innovation and manufacturing capabilities.
It added that Africa’s long-term security and technological sovereignty would depend on the continent’s ability to harness its own expertise, promote homegrown innovation and build sustainable defence-industrial partnerships.
