President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared Nigeria open to defence partnerships built on mutual trust and respect, as Nigeria hosts the maiden Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in its history.
President Tinubu stated this at the opening ceremony of AFRIDEX 2026, holding from 26th to 30th October, 2026, at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, a statement by the Ministry of Defence Spokesperson, Queenet Iheoma-Hart (PhD) noted.
Acknowledging that security threats are becoming more complex and interconnected, the President called on African defence partners and global innovators in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies to partner with Nigeria to ensure peace and stability on the continent.
Represented by the President of the Senate,Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, President Tinubu noted that those entrusted with securing peace must do all within their means to keep the peace. He stressed that while peace has no alternative, Africa cannot afford to ignore new trends in military equipment, personnel training and cooperation based on shared values.
The President further noted that with peace and stability, opportunities are created, public institutions earn trust and the future can be approached with confidence. He emphasized the need for a cohesive approach to make partnerships value-driven, adding that Nigeria is blessed with talented young people who require opportunities to thrive.
He urged participants to leverage the exhibition to share knowledge, hold bilateral meetings, sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and explore investment opportunities in Nigeria.
“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 sector, disclosing that Nigeria will commence massive local production of defence hardware within the next one year for both domestic use and export, particularly to other African nations.
He added that the side engagements lined up during the exhibition would strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations among defence establishments, government representatives, industry stakeholders and other strategic partners.
In his remarks, 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 conceived.
In their goodwill messages, the Governor of Lagos State, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and the representative of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Birame Diop, expressed optimism that the gathering would provide an inclusive opportunity for African countries to upscale 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 sustained support to DICON and pledged enhanced production capacity.
After the opening ceremony, the Honourable Minister of Defence inspected exhibition stands from various countries and held an executive meeting with the United States delegation.
Dignitaries present included the Chief of Defence Staff, serving and former Service Chiefs, Chairman, National Assembly Committee on Defence, and representatives from over 20 African countries.
