Proudly Nigerian

The drive by the General Mohammed Buhari administration (President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (May 29, 2015 – May 29, 2023) to re-invigorate the Nigeria defence manufacturing industries, in 2015 led to the re-birth of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria –(DICON) and the need to develop Military Industrial Complex (MICs) to produce locally the military equipment and armaments needs of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies. DICON. the first public defence manufacturing institution was established in 1964 to produce defence equipment for the use of the Nigerian Armed Forces and its security agencies since the year (created by an Act of Parliament, 1964).

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) under this presidential directive in 2018, ably led by its Permanent Secretary, Hajia Nuratu Batagaranwa, and other top defence stakeholders sees it pertinent that to achieve the stated objectives of the MICs quickly, there is the need to further liberalise the sector and involve the “private sector defence manufacturing or the defence related industries” (DRIs) alongside existing public corporations.. Thus, this led to the inauguration of the -Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN) in October 2018, with the Director-General of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria -Major General Bamidele Ogunkale as the Chairman.

Under this model, DICON is to serve as a central hub while it also transitions to be the regulator of the industry.

DIAN, created in 2018, is thus an association of indigenous private and public sector defence manufacturing organisations in Nigeria set up to meet the objectives of the MICs via producing defence articles needed by the Nigerian armed forces and other security agencies in the country.

Other justifications for this initiative are: Reducing importation of defence articles, lingering security challenges and need for urgent supplies, Developing Nigeria’s technological base, Self-reliance and increasing local content, Human capital development (skills etc.), Job Creation/Employment Generation, saving foreign exchange earnings, economic diversification,  contribution to GDP and creating a defence manufacturing and export hub in the West Africa sub-region amongst other strategic imperatives.

DIAN is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020. Some statutory operations of the association is spelt out in the recent DICON Act of 2023 assented by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria -President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCON).The Association is governed by the board of Trustees, ably led by the Chairman (DG -DICON) and seven other members of the board of trustees (directors).