Tinubu Opens Nigeria to Global Defence Partnerships at Maiden AFRIDEX 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared Nigeria open to defence partnerships based on mutual trust and respect, as the country hosts the maiden Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in Lagos.
The President made this known on Monday, October 26, 2026, during the opening ceremony of AFRIDEX 2026, which runs from October 26 to 30 at Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.
Represented by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu called on African defence partners and global innovators in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to collaborate with Nigeria in promoting peace and stability across the continent.
He noted that security threats were becoming increasingly complex and interconnected, requiring stronger cooperation, improved military capabilities and shared values among countries.
The President stressed that those responsible for maintaining peace must do everything possible to protect it, while African countries must keep pace with developments in military equipment, personnel training and defence cooperation.
He added that peace and stability create opportunities, strengthen public trust in institutions and enable countries to plan confidently for the future.
Tinubu also highlighted Nigeria’s talented young population, noting that they needed opportunities to contribute to national development and innovation.
He urged participants to use the exhibition to exchange knowledge, hold bilateral meetings, sign Memoranda of Understanding and explore investment opportunities in Nigeria’s defence sector.
“Let the partnerships formed here strengthen our readiness. Let the knowledge exchanged here inspire our innovators. And let the commitments made here produce tangible results that our people can see and experience,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd.), OFR, urged participants to take advantage of the exhibition to invest in Nigeria’s defence industry.
Musa disclosed that Nigeria planned to commence large-scale local production of defence hardware within the next year for domestic use and export, particularly to other African countries.
He said the engagements scheduled alongside the exhibition would strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations among defence establishments, government representatives, industry stakeholders and strategic partners.
The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Muhammad Matawalle, MON, described AFRIDEX as a dynamic platform capable of achieving the objectives for which it was established.
In their goodwill messages, the Lagos State Governor, represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and the representative of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Birame Diop, expressed optimism that the exhibition would provide an inclusive platform for African countries to strengthen and revitalise their defence sectors.
The Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General B.I. Alaya, commended President Tinubu for his continued support for the corporation and pledged to improve its production capacity.
Following the opening ceremony, the Minister of Defence inspected exhibition stands featuring participants from various countries and held an executive meeting with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).
Dignitaries at the event included the Chief of Defence Staff, serving and former Service Chiefs, the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Defence, and representatives from more than 20 African countries.
Tinubu Opens Nigeria to Global Defence Partnerships at Maiden AFRIDEX 2026