Nigeria can tackle defence hardware challenges locally – Former DICON DG

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By Kingsley Omonobi

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ABUJA — Former Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Maj.-Gen. Nnaemeka Charles Maduegbunam (rtd.), has said Nigeria can overcome many of its military hardware and equipment challenges by harnessing its pool of engineers, technicians and available local resources.

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Maduegbunam said prioritising indigenous technology and local expertise would help the country achieve greater self-reliance in defence production while reducing the cost of acquiring and maintaining military equipment.

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He spoke at the public presentation of his book, We Can Do It – Towards Nigeria’s Self-Reliance in Science and Technology, in Abuja.

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The former DICON director-general said Nigeria must also discard the misconception that valuable technology could simply be transferred by foreign partners without substantial investment in local capacity.

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According to him, DICON’s experience demonstrates the importance of indigenous capacity, discipline, innovation and sustained institutional support in building self-reliance.

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Maduegbunam said the corporation had demonstrated its ability to refurbish and produce defence equipment, including weapons, while saving the country substantial resources.

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He said one of the interventions undertaken by DICON saved the country about N5 billion, stressing that the philosophy behind his book — “We Can Do It” — should become a national mindset.

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Chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, said Maduegbunam’s achievements at DICON demonstrated the ingenuity and technical capacity within the Nigerian military.

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Nnaji said DICON remained critical to Nigeria’s survival and development, adding that local production of defence equipment could reduce costs, conserve foreign exchange and strengthen the country’s technological capacity.

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Former Chief of Defence Staff, retired Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai, described Maduegbunam as a knowledgeable and innovative officer who made significant contributions to United Nations operations in Sudan, the Armed Forces and the country.

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Agwai said the revitalisation of DICON involved important political and diplomatic dimensions, particularly the refurbishment of G3 rifles, which he said subsequently served purposes beyond Nigeria’s immediate defence requirements.

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In his goodwill message, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, commended Maduegbunam for promoting indigenous solutions to the Army’s equipment and technical challenges.

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Shaibu, who was represented by the Corps Commander, Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (NAEME), Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Adereti, said the Army’s pursuit of home-grown solutions was consistent with its efforts to reduce dependence on external solutions while strengthening local capacity in innovation, maintenance and repair.

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Speaking in his personal capacity, Adereti recalled Maduegbunam’s initiative to modify a mobile field kitchen for operational deployment, describing it as a practical demonstration of how operational requirements could be converted into indigenous technical solutions.

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He said the NAEME Corps regarded We Can Do It as more than a book title, describing it as a mindset built around self-belief, innovation and determination.

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Adereti also announced a pledge to purchase 20 copies of the book on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff and the Corps, while personally committing to five copies.

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Former Chiefs of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd.) and Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd.), also commended Maduegbunam for his ingenuity and expertise, particularly his role in the resuscitation and refurbishment of military hardware and equipment.

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They highlighted the refurbishment of tanks which, they said, supported the Army’s operations against Boko Haram insurgency.

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Dignitaries at the event included former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.); former Chief of Policy and Plans, Army, Maj.-Gen. Atofarati (rtd.); and former Chief of Training and Operations, Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Awala (rtd.), among others.

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