Nigeria, Egypt Deepen Defence Cooperation as Matawalle Leads Delegation on Industrial Partnership Visit
Nigeria, Egypt Deepen Defence Cooperation as Matawalle Leads Delegation on Industrial Partnership Visit
Nigeria, Egypt Deepen Defence Cooperation as Matawalle Leads Delegation on Industrial Partnership Visit
The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s defence industrial capacity as the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, led a high-level Nigerian defence delegation on a two-day strategic visit to key defence industry establishments in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The visit formed part of Nigeria’s broader drive to deepen bilateral defence cooperation, promote indigenous defence production and build a sustainable military-industrial base capable of meeting the long-term equipment and operational needs of the Armed Forces.
The delegation included senior representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Intelligence Agency and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
Nigeria Explores Joint Defence Manufacturing
On the first day, the delegation toured the manufacturing facilities of Eagle International for Defence Systems Company in Suez, where the Nigerian team examined various defence systems and equipment produced by the Egyptian company.
The visit also provided an opportunity for Nigerian officials to gain first-hand knowledge of Egypt’s defence manufacturing processes, industrial capabilities and technological expertise.
Speaking during the tour, Matawalle described the engagement as strategic and developmental rather than procurement-driven, stressing that Nigeria was primarily interested in establishing sustainable industrial partnerships with Egypt.
He said Nigeria was exploring opportunities for collaboration, particularly through DICON, to facilitate the joint manufacture of selected military equipment and systems in Nigeria.
According to the Minister, such partnerships would help strengthen Nigeria’s indigenous production capacity, develop specialised technical expertise, increase local content and promote the transfer of appropriate defence technologies and industrial knowledge.
Nigeria, Egypt Discuss Ammunition Production
On the second day, the delegation held high-level discussions with the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production in Cairo.
The meeting focused on areas of mutual interest, with particular attention given to the possibility of establishing an ammunition production line in Nigeria through structured technical and industrial cooperation.
Both sides expressed strong interest in advancing the proposed partnership and working towards appropriate formal agreements that would provide a framework for its implementation.
The initiative is expected to support Nigeria’s strategic objective of achieving greater self-reliance in critical defence production, reducing dependence on foreign sources and strengthening the country’s ability to sustainably provide essential equipment for its Armed Forces.
Defence Industrialisation as National Development Strategy
Matawalle has continued to champion the Federal Government’s vision of developing a modern and robust military-industrial complex in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The strategy seeks to enhance Nigeria’s defence self-reliance while promoting indigenous innovation, technological development, specialised skills and economic opportunities.
Beyond strengthening national security, the Federal Government views defence industrialisation as a potential catalyst for broader economic development through technology transfer, local manufacturing, job creation and the development of specialised industrial value chains.
The visit to Egypt therefore represents another step towards translating Nigeria’s defence industrialisation ambitions into practical partnerships capable of delivering measurable improvements in domestic production capacity.
The Ministry of Defence expressed appreciation to the Egyptian authorities for the warm reception and constructive engagements throughout the visit, describing the discussions as a strong foundation for deeper bilateral defence relations.
The Ministry said it looks forward to continued engagements with relevant Egyptian defence institutions towards developing concrete frameworks for technology and knowledge transfer, joint industrial ventures and other areas of cooperation that will contribute to building a self-reliant, resilient and technologically advanced Nigerian defence industrial base.
Nigeria, Egypt Deepen Defence Cooperation as Matawalle Leads Delegation on Industrial Partnership Visit
