DICON at 60: We are celebrating six decades of resilience and innovation – Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). The President said DICON is a testament to Nigeria’s enduring commitment to national security and technological advancement.
He said, DICON was established in 1964 with a visionary mandate to achieve self-reliance in our defence capabilities. Over the past sixty years, this institution has become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s military-industrial complex, producing ammunition and equipment that support our Armed Forces and Security Agencies.
We pridefully recall that in 1966, barely two years after its establishment, DICON’s ammunition production contributed significantly to the preservation of our country during the civil war, leading to the unity we now enjoy. Today, DICON has the most significant market potential in Africa and is repositioned to leverage the vast potential of the private sector to pursue innovations and technologies that will ramp up our indigenous defence productions.
He said, the passion to see the speedy growth of DICON and Nigeria’s Military Industrial Complex motivated me to sign the DICON Act 2023 into law within my first six months in office. The right environment has thus been created for DICON to be equipped with modern automated production lines and production systems.
According to him, “I am happy to see the progress towards establishing our first uncrewed or unmanned aerial and land vehicle automated production lines”. These lofty steps would indeed bring us closer to the rest of the world, and no doubt significantly impact our current efforts to defeat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes in our country.
“The contemporary security challenges we face as a nation require tying into the concept of the Whole of Government and Society Approach to resolve them decisively. With the signing of the DICON Act 2023, we mark a new era for DICON, positioning it as the arrowhead of our Military Industrial Complex, providing a robust framework to drive our strategic objectives in defence manufacturing and technology and supporting the modernisation of our Armed Forces to address national and subre-gional security challenges. As we celebrate this diamond jubilee, we also embrace a renewed vision for the future, aligned with our administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” The DICON Evolution Strategy and Road Map 2030, based on the DICON Act 2023 that we launch today, aims to bridge performance gaps in our Military Industrial Complex and reposition DICON as a global player, as was long envisaged by our founding fathers.
“The strategy aligns primarily with two key priorities of our Renewed Hope Agenda: strengthening national security and accelerating economic diversification through industrialisation, digitisation, manufacturing, and innovation. Industrialisation and innovation, as we all know, are capital-intensive ventures but necessary for the growth of any nation. To this end, my administration will invest substantially in DICON to ensure it delivers on its mandate efficiently within the 2030 roadmap timeframe. The upgraded capabilities emerging from this strategy will significantly enhance our defence infrastructure, ensuring peace and prosperity for our nation.
“The newly automated production lines for various categories of ammunition, Mine Resistant Ambush Patrol Vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carrier, drones, and unmanned ground vehicles, for instance, will provide our armed forces with advanced equipment tailored to our contemporary challenges providing our troops with the required advantage over our adversaries. Introducing the BAT A-1 Specialised Assault Rifle and its production line will address small arms proliferation issues while equipping our security operatives with modern fighting capabilities. The proposed state-of-the-art micro motherboard processing facility will be the backbone of robotics and artificial intelligence innovations, leveraging resources from our newly inaugurated lithium development plant in Nasarawa State. Expanding our production capabilities and enhancing our research and development efforts will create jobs, develop human capital, and stimulate economic growth. Establishing a tech hub and R&D lab in Abuja will provide the enabling environment and attract young talent to foster a culture of Innovation, driving Nigeria’s defence industry forward.”
According to the President, “as we march into the future, international collaborations will play a vital role in our success. The Maiden Africa Defence Industries Conference, which I am honoured to declare open today, is a platform for forging strategic partnerships to enhance our capabilities and promote regional security. I invite our international partners to join us as we work together to build a safer and more prosperous Africa.
“DICON’s journey over the past sixty years is a story of resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment to national service. As we embark on the next chapter, I call on all stakeholders, our armed forces, industry partners, and the international community, to support and participate in implementing the DICON Evolution Strategy and Road Map 2030.
“Let us seize this moment to build a stronger, more innovative, and globally competitive defence industry. We will secure Nigeria’s brighter future and contribute to global peace and stability.”
