Few weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the resolve of the Federal Government on the issue, former Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has also emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a robust military-industrial complex to strengthen national security.
He also counselled that Nigeria should lead the effort to restore the hope of the people in West Africa regarding the need to advance democratic stability in the sub-region.
Delivering a lecture to participants of Course 33 participants at the National Defense College, Abuja, on Friday, Osinbajo emphasized the importance of national security, economic stability, and technological advancements in shaping Nigeria’s future and influencing regional stability.
Building Nigeria’s Military Industrial Complex
Osinbajo stressed the urgent need to develop Nigeria’s military-industrial complex.
“Nigeria has proved itself to be a preeminent African military power. We are perhaps the only country in Africa that has successfully conducted a single-country peacekeeping and enforcement campaign in the region, as seen in Liberia and Sierra Leone. However, in recent years, with internal crises and insurgencies, the military has struggled to keep its personnel well-trained and well-equipped.
“The cost of arms and ammunition has skyrocketed, and the politics of arms procurement has often delayed deliveries, even when we have paid in advance. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a well-equipped military. There is a need for the intentional development of a military-industrial complex. Only a few weeks ago, President Tinubu specifically spoke about the government’s plan to establish a military-industrial complex, and we must do so in mission-mode.
“This is a collaboration between private industry and the public sector in producing the arms and ammunition that Nigeria requires for its internal and external defense. The government’s role is crucial. It must initially fund research and development and provide access to concessional capital. The government, as the major consumer of weapons, must intentionally procure weapons locally and issue long-term supply contracts to local manufacturers of military hardware.”
He highlighted existing frameworks, including the National Defence Policy (2017), the Research & Development Bureau (DRDB), and the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
“DICON has remained resilient, though its manufacturing infrastructure needs revamping. It has the capacity to produce and has set for itself a baseline production of 50,000 bullet vests and ballistic helmets per year. However, our ambitions for local arms production must go beyond these projections.
“There is no reason why Nigeria can not manufacture its own version of the AK-47 rifle, the most widely used weapon by our troops and police. We have already seen skilled local fabrications of similar assault rifles. This capacity can be fully developed by engaging private-sector players and attracting private capital. The government alone can not finance the military’s needs. Several private arms manufacturers, including Proforce, Imperium, Epail, and Innoson, are already producing military equipment and even exporting them.”
Osinbajo concluded by emphasizing the importance of technology in modern warfare and Nigeria’s strategic position in West Africa.
“The future of national defence belongs to technology. Nations that invest in defence technology will dominate those that do not. Nigeria must prioritize investment in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, drone warfare, and space-based surveillance to maintain a strategic edge.
“Ultimately, Nigeria’s stability and economic growth will determine its influence in West Africa. By developing a military-industrial complex, ensuring food and energy security, and leveraging technology, Nigeria can secure its future and promote democracy across the region.”
The former VP also raised other important issues at the public lecture, below are some of the highlights:
The Role of the Elite in National Development
“I must say that it is a special privilege to speak to participants of Course 33, as you undertake this higher defence and strategic management course. Let me say right away that you who are participants in this course represent the elite in our country and in the other nations from which you have come to attend this course. The elite in a developing country have a special role to play. Unlike more developed societies, you represent a fraction of a small fraction of people in your society who, by virtue of their education, public service experience, and influence, have the privilege of thinking, planning, and ultimately defining the direction that your nation and its peoples must go.
“I am not saying that you alone are responsible for all that. All I am saying is that you belong to that elite, which includes politicians, influential professionals, and private sector entities. That privilege comes with a responsibility—to be rigorous in your preparation for your role, to be intentional about finding the most optimal approaches to decision-making, and to inform yourself as fully as possible about the local, regional, and global issues that may impact your high-level decisions or actions.”
Security and Human Development as Core National Priorities
Osinbajo noted that empirical evidence strongly suggests a correlation between poverty, low human capital development indices, and instability.
“Indeed, today, the new paradigm for measuring security is human security. Human security goes beyond the absence of war and conflict—it encompasses the availability of the means to live, including access to food, shelter, and clothing. Clearly, the economy is central to human security because it defines those parameters.
“Our country is growing at six million people per year. In two decades, we will be the third most populous country in the world. However, our GDP growth has been slower than population growth. Today, 84 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty. Education and healthcare services are not keeping pace with population growth. Because state and local governments are responsible for basic education and healthcare, the federal government must work with them to deliver a practical plan to ensure access to quality education and healthcare.”
He further emphasized food security as a key aspect of national stability.
“The food shortages caused by supply chain disruptions in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine have demonstrated that we can not leave the feeding of our populace to the whims of geopolitics We must approach food security as a strategic imperative. Cuba, in 1990, became self-sufficient in food production after its primary food supplier, Russia, collapsed. Nigeria must learn from such examples and take proactive steps to secure its food supply.”
Climate Change and Energy Security
Osinbajo identified climate change as a critical issue affecting Nigeria’s security and economy.
“Africa is warming faster than any other region, with the highest incidence of drought and the second-highest incidence of flooding globally. West Africa, particularly Nigeria, Niger, and Ghana, has been experiencing intense flooding. In 2022, Nigeria suffered its worst flooding in history, killing over 600 people and displacing 1.3 million others.
“Sea-level rise is expected to impact major African coastal cities, including Lagos, Cotonou, and Porto-Novo. Lagos, our commercial nerve centre, is especially at risk. Climate change has also worsened conflicts between farmers and herders due to shrinking land and pasture.
“But the frustrating thing about climate change is that we are not the cause. The historical, accumulated, and current emissions from wealthier countries’ fossil-fuel-based industrialization are largely responsible. Meanwhile, we are energy-poor, with 86 million Nigerians lacking access to power. Energy poverty inhibits real economic growth and job creation.
“In addition, global development finance institutions are increasingly refusing to fund fossil fuel investments in Africa. The World Bank, for example, ceased funding for upstream oil and gas projects, while the European Union, the UK, and the US have imposed restrictions on financing gas development. For Nigeria, where fossil fuels represent a major source of export earnings and fiscal revenues, divesting from fossil fuels without a viable alternative could reduce GDP by as much as $30 billion.
“We must step up our advocacy for gas as a transition fuel and replace the sources of investment funding that are drying up. Nigeria’s strategic position on climate change must be balanced—recognizing that we face two existential challenges: climate change and extreme poverty. If we pursue a carbon-intensive path to industrialization, we risk becoming the world’s largest CO2 emitter by 2050. However, if Africa chooses a climate-positive growth trajectory, we can save the world while creating jobs and opportunities for our young population.”
