Nigeria and Egypt are exploring a partnership on ammunition production as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and boost Nigeria’s indigenous defence manufacturing capacity.
The initiative was discussed during a two-day visit by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, who led a high-level Nigerian defence delegation to key defence industry establishments in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The delegation, which included representatives of the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Intelligence Agency and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), visited defence manufacturing facilities and held strategic engagements with Egyptian officials.
On the first day of the visit, the delegation toured the manufacturing facilities of Eagle International for Defence Systems Company in Suez, where members inspected a range of defence systems and equipment and gained insights into Egypt’s growing defence production capabilities.
Speaking during the visit, Matawalle said Nigeria’s objective was not immediate procurement but the development of a sustainable industrial partnership that would enable collaboration in the joint manufacture of selected military equipment and systems.
“The visit is strategic and developmental in character rather than focused on immediate procurement. Our principal objective is to explore avenues for a sustainable industrial partnership that will enable Nigeria and Egypt to work collaboratively, particularly through DICON, towards the joint manufacture of selected military equipment and systems,” he said.
The minister noted that such collaboration would strengthen Nigeria’s indigenous production capacity, develop specialised technical expertise, expand local content and facilitate the transfer of defence technologies and industrial knowledge.
“This collaboration will strengthen Nigeria’s indigenous production capacity, develop specialised technical expertise, expand local content, and facilitate the transfer of relevant defence technologies and industrial knowledge to Nigeria,” Matawalle added.
The highlight of the visit came on the second day when the Nigerian delegation held a high-level engagement with Egypt’s Ministry of Military Production in Cairo.
Discussions focused on areas of mutual interest, particularly the prospects of establishing an ammunition production line in Nigeria through structured technical and industrial cooperation.
According to the Ministry of Defence, both countries expressed strong interest in advancing the proposed collaboration and working towards formal agreements that would provide the necessary framework for implementation.
“The proposed initiative aligns with Nigeria’s strategic objective of achieving greater self-reliance in critical defence production, reducing dependence on external sources, and strengthening the country’s capacity to sustainably meet the equipment and operational requirements of its Armed Forces,” the ministry stated.
The ministry said the initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader vision of developing a modern and robust military-industrial complex under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
It noted that the plan seeks to strengthen national defence self-reliance, enhance national security, promote indigenous innovation and technological development, create economic opportunities and position defence industrialisation as a catalyst for broader national development.
“The visit to Egypt represents another significant step towards translating this vision into practical and sustainable partnerships capable of delivering measurable improvements in Nigeria’s defence industrial capacity,” the ministry added.
The Ministry of Defence also expressed appreciation to the Egyptian authorities for the warm reception and constructive engagements during the visit, expressing confidence that the emerging areas of cooperation would yield enduring strategic benefits for both countries.
“We look forward to continued engagements with relevant Egyptian defence institutions towards the development of concrete frameworks that will strengthen bilateral defence relations, promote technology and knowledge transfer, and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s quest for a self-reliant, resilient and technologically advanced defence industrial base,” the ministry said.