A member of the House of Representatives, Babajimi Benson, has said the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act, 2023 recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu will end Nigeria’s perennial importation of military hardware, software and other equipment.

Benson, who sponsored the bill, said with the signing, Nigeria might become an exporter of weapons, thereby generating foreign currency.

A copy of the bill obtained by our correspondent shows the bill aims “to regulate and ensure improvement in a local production of weapons and other equipment to meet the requirement of the Nigeria Armed Forces and other security agencies, reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, and develop local capabilities and standardisation through research and development in the defence industry.”

When fully operational, the defence corporation will oversee the operation, maintenance and control of ordnance factories for the manufacture, storage and disposal of materials intended for, or capable of, being used by the armed forces, other security agencies and such other forces or persons as may be authorised.

It provides that the armed forces, police and other security agencies authorised to possess and use weapons or other items categorised as defence items shall “purchase weapons or defence items from the corporation; or from other licensed manufacturers or distributors, where the corporation is unable to supply the items.”

Speaking with The PUNCH, Benson, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, described DICON as a backward integration strategy that will eventually pave the way for the exportation of military weapons and others by Nigeria.

He said, “The bill converts DICON into a military-industrial complex. Show me a great country, you will find a military complex therein. Nigeria has been involved in the Boko Haram war for a long while and the lessons learned should not be thrown away. A lot of importation of hardware and software has been made. DICON is like a backward integration strategy. A lot of light weapons and things that are imported into the country will now be manufactured locally. A lot of companies are already looking at platforms where they can come in and invest in the hardware, and software war space. This bill gives them a veritable platform and an easy way to come in and invest. It is a bill that will help conserve foreign exchange and also allow us to export to other countries and help employ labour in Nigeria.”

Going forward, the lawmaker noted that local manufacturing of military equipment will strengthen the naira against the dollar, thus, improving Nigeria’s terms of trade.

“There’s a lot of invention that has taken place in this insurgency war. One of the eaters of our foreign exchange has been the importation of military equipment. Manufacturing these locally will bring down the value because importations are benchmarked against the dollar rate. So, the higher the dollar, the more expensive the naira is to purchase but if you domesticate it, we will make sure that the skills Nigerians have will be deployed into that trade, but with the necessary regulatory framework.

“There is also going to be Foreign Direct Investment because a lot of companies that see Nigeria as a market will be here to manufacture these goods and these goods won’t be used for the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force alone but also for the para-military establishments. They wear boots, uniforms and different types of things. It is a whole new level of opportunities for Nigerians,” he added.

That said, the lawmaker assured Nigerians that the 2024 defence budget would be thoroughly monitored to ensure value for money.

“We have had retreats with all the security chairmen to upscale our skills in monitoring. We are fashioning out a model that will ensure thorough and efficient supervision of the defence budget for implementation. There will be policy engagement of ‘following the money.’ Nigeria is hard-pressed at this time and every money must be seen to be judiciously spent. We are going to be on top of our game,” he added.

Source: https://punchng.com/Local-production-of-weapons-will-save-revenue-Rep

Hehehe.

Clowns. The same people that rejected locally produced cars for themselves.

They just speak to fool Nigerians. This man will be the first to ask his security men to go for foreign arms to protect him and his family.

Anything foreign da sweet our politicians, wether good or bad .

What kind of car is this Ikorodu idiot using first? His phone, his T.v ?

When we can even produce bangad

una no get RIZZ

adenigga:


Source: https://punchng.com/Local-production-of-weapons-will-save-revenue-Rep

Then arm then local thugs & criminal abi?

Finally waking up

We don't need more weapons, those resources should be put into education, medicine and agriculture

You need to have solid academic/research institutions to make this work. This is capex intensive and will require a lot of research and innovative approach, which we lack.

feeed the people from the local content and export.......
na weapon we wan export

always hearing thoughts of sick men, why....?

Does it include locally-made charms? Because that is what our Military fear most.

Dey play Mr Benson

Make I no hear say bandits raid una warehouse oo...😏😏😏😏

Dey play Mr Benson...national Assembly of clueless people...lovers of foreign cars ,medical expertise and even foreign oloshos..the hypocrisy is terrible high

IT WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE AND BE USED BY THE BAD GUYS TAKE UP A FIGHT AGAINST EVIL LEADERS

Someone that cant use IVM wanto use local weapon.

Terrorism is about to be supplied with non-stop weapons.

BTC0207:

If there won't be avenues to loot, you guys will still snub the home-made weapons like u do to Innoson and spent billions on imported SUVs boosting another countries economy. Don't come here offering solution when u and ur colleagues are part of the problems.

Good

H

This clown has been in Reps for donkey years with nothing to show for it. Who doesn't know this before ?

Person wey no get money for tyre wan buy rolls royce

No be lie

Just imagine weapons to kill each other

Wealthoptulent:

Then arm then local thugs & criminal abi?

Exactly their plan..Guns go com full street. Foolish people.

tradepunter:
Finally waking up

no it’s you that have to wake up

So you believe on this man’s proposal?.. Same people that purchased foreign made cars for official use.

You think they care about you and Nigerian economy?

You have to wake up.. you can be easily deceived.