Forging Nigeria’s Defence Future
By Jerry Adesewo,
For decades, Nigeria’s defence and security agencies relied heavily on imported military hardware—from bulletproof vests and ballistic helmets to armoured vehicles and surveillance systems. The result was predictable: high procurement costs, long delivery timelines, foreign exchange pressure, and an overdependence on overseas manufacturers.
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Today, however, that narrative is gradually changing.
At the centre of this quiet revolution is Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL Nigeria), an indigenous defence manufacturing company that has steadily grown from a local engineering initiative into one of Nigeria’s leading private defence technology firms. Behind this remarkable journey is its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kola Balogun, whose advocacy for local defence production has increasingly become part of Nigeria’s national security conversation.
Building More Than Equipment
EPAIL’s story is not merely about manufacturing military equipment. It is about changing a mindset.
Long before local content became fashionable within the defence sector, EPAIL was investing in research, design, and local production capabilities aimed at reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported security hardware. The company established one of Nigeria’s first indigenous facilities dedicated to manufacturing ballistic helmets, bulletproof vests, armoured vehicles, surveillance systems, and other tactical equipment to international standards.
The significance of that investment extends beyond commerce.
Every locally manufactured piece of defence equipment means reduced import dependence, quicker response to operational needs, technology transfer, skills development, and job creation for Nigerian engineers and technicians.
From Advocacy to Policy
Perhaps EPAIL’s greatest contribution has been its role in reshaping policy discussions around indigenous defence manufacturing.
Speaking recently at the Nigerian People’s Strategic Conference and Defence Exhibition 2026, Dr. Balogun argued that Nigeria’s security future cannot continue to depend almost entirely on imported military solutions.
He maintained that local manufacturers understand Nigeria’s unique operational environment far better than foreign companies designing equipment for completely different terrains and security realities.
According to him, one of the biggest obstacles faced by indigenous manufacturers for years was the restrictive provisions of the former Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act, which limited meaningful private-sector participation in defence production.
The recent amendment of the DICON Act, assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represents a major breakthrough. It opens the sector to greater collaboration between government and indigenous manufacturers, potentially transforming Nigeria’s defence industrial base.
A Record of Strategic Partnerships
EPAIL’s growth has not occurred in isolation.
Over the years, the company has built strategic partnerships with several government institutions.
Its collaboration with DICON dates back to 2018, when both organisations signed an agreement to manufacture defence equipment locally, signalling one of Nigeria’s earliest serious attempts at indigenous defence production.
In 2021, the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs and the Nigeria Police Force inspected EPAIL’s manufacturing facility, expressing confidence in the company’s capacity to supply locally manufactured ballistic protection equipment in support of the Federal Government’s local content agenda.
In 2024, another milestone followed when NIGCOMSAT signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MOMAS-EPAIL to strengthen communication infrastructure for Nigeria’s defence sector. The partnership aims to improve secure communications, intelligence sharing, and technology integration in support of national security.
Recognition Beyond Manufacturing
EPAIL’s innovations have also received industry recognition.
Among its notable achievements is the development of the BRG120, an indigenous security solution that earned the Outstanding New Security Product Award at the 2023 Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs), further demonstrating that Nigerian-made security technology can compete on the global stage.
Beyond products, EPAIL has become an advocate for building an ecosystem that encourages local research, engineering, manufacturing, and innovation in the defence sector.
The Vision of Dr. Kola Balogun
What distinguishes Dr. Balogun is that his advocacy extends beyond his own company.
He has consistently argued that indigenous defence manufacturing should become a national economic strategy rather than simply a procurement option.
His recent call for the full implementation of the Federal Government’s “Nigeria First” policy reflects that philosophy.
According to him, policy declarations alone are insufficient if government agencies continue to procure foreign equipment where capable local alternatives exist. True local content, he argues, requires deliberate patronage of Nigerian manufacturers.
He has also linked security to governance, insisting that insecurity cannot be addressed solely through military hardware but also through stronger grassroots governance, economic inclusion, and support for local industries that create employment and technological capacity.
Beyond Security
The EPAIL story ultimately transcends defence manufacturing. It represents what becomes possible when Nigerian innovation is supported by investment, policy reforms, and confidence in local capacity.
As Nigeria seeks greater self-reliance across strategic sectors, indigenous defence manufacturing offers benefits that extend far beyond national security. It stimulates industrialisation, creates highly skilled jobs, reduces foreign exchange demand, encourages technology transfer, and strengthens national resilience.
In many respects, EPAIL has become more than a manufacturer. It has become a symbol of an emerging philosophy: that Nigeria can increasingly build the technologies required to secure itself.
Whether that vision ultimately succeeds will depend not only on companies like EPAIL, but also on the willingness of government, the armed forces, and security agencies to consistently back indigenous innovation with policy, procurement, and long-term strategic commitment.
For Dr. Kola Balogun and EPAIL Nigeria, the mission has never simply been to manufacture equipment.
It has been to manufacture confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to solve Nigerian problems.