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National security a top priority of my administration, says Tinubu

Sulaiman Umar
16 Aug, 2024
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says that National security remains a top priority of his administration and would invest substantially in Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON, and ensure it delivered.

He said that “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.”

President Tinubu stated this in Abuja while launching the new DICON Logo and Strategy Document/ Road Map 2030 for evolution of Military Industrial complex, on Wednesday, which marked the 60th anniversary of DICON.

Tinubu’s address was delivered by the Secretary to government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who represented him at the ceremony.

He said he was motivated in signing the DICON Act 2023, late last year to “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 sub-regional 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.”

President Tinubu added that “this 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”, he added.

The President noted that the upgraded capabilities emerging from this strategy will significantly enhance our defence infrastructure, ensuring peace and prosperity for our nation.

According to him, “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”.

He also said that 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.

“Importantly, expanding our production capabilities and enhancing our research and development efforts will create jobs, develop human capital, and stimulate economic growth, he said, adding that 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”.

He said that 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”.

He invited “international partners to join us as we work together to build a safer and more prosperous Africa.”

The President said that 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”, he pleaded.

He recalled that DICON was established in 1964 with a visionary mandate to achieve self-reliance in our defence capabilities and observed that 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.

culled from Daily Times Nigeria