By SUMAILA OGBAJE

Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN) says the just-concluded African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit has opened new opportunities for Nigerian defence companies to expand their markets across the continent.

The Secretary-General of the association, Mr Kola Balogun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the summit created a platform for African defence industries to showcase their capabilities and deepen collaboration.

Balogun said that several memoranda of understanding (MoUs), catalogue exchanges and follow-up discussions held during the summit had already set the stage for stronger regional partnerships.

?The summit was a booster for the entire defence industries in Nigeria. With West African and African collaboration, we can now project our equipment to a wider market,? he said.

According to him, Nigerian-made equipment compared favourably with foreign products in terms of quality and price, adding that this competitiveness would help Africa rely less on imports from outside the continent.

?To our surprise, some of our equipment were even very competitive when placed side by side with foreign products.

?This is a big opportunity for Africa to depend on itself rather than always looking outside the continent,? Balogun said.

He commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, for convening the summit, describing it as a bold step that placed Nigeria in the limelight and showcased the country?s capacity in local defence manufacturing.

The DIAN scribe also emphasised the need for continuity in public-private partnership (PPP) agreements in the defence sector, warning that abandoning projects due to political transitions could discourage investment.

?Once a PPP is signed, huge investments and overheads are already committed. Successor governments must sustain such agreements to ensure continuity, confidence and sustainability in the defence sector,? he added.

Balogun said the association would continue to strengthen collaboration among its members, standardise products for African requirements and maintain competitive pricing to attract buyers within the continent.

He added that more local manufacturers had shown interest in joining DIAN following the summit, a development he said would expand the association?s network and strengthen Nigeria?s capacity in producing world-class defence equipment.

Balogun further urged African countries to prioritise patronage of locally produced military equipment, saying it would boost employment, reduce idleness and cut off recruitment opportunities for insurgent groups. (NAN)

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