Participants at the event
By Abdulrahman Aliagan,
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, has challenged Nigerian innovators, startups, researchers, and technology experts to channel their talents toward developing indigenous solutions to the country’s growing security challenges.
Speaking at the Omniverse Africa 3.0 Summit in Lagos on Thursday, the Defence Minister emphasized that modern security demands more than conventional military hardware, stressing that technology, innovation, and industrial capability must play a central role in safeguarding Nigeria’s future.
Delivering the keynote address on the theme, “The 70/30 Rule: Why Nigeria’s Security and Innovation Agendas are the Same National Project,” General Musa said Nigeria must move beyond being a consumer of defence technologies and become a producer of homegrown security solutions.
According to him, the evolving nature of security threats requires a strategic shift that combines military strength with technological advancement and innovation.
“The future requires us to complement courage with technology, foresight, industrial capability, and innovation,” he stated. “We must secure the nation today, but we must also build the capabilities that will secure the nation tomorrow.”
The Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Defence is currently restructuring its operational doctrine, procurement processes, and personnel training to prioritize emerging technologies.
These include unmanned systems and robotics, surveillance technologies, cybersecurity, secure communications, artificial intelligence governance, data-driven decision-making tools, and advanced domestic manufacturing.
General Musa linked the initiative to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, highlighting ongoing reforms at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) aimed at building a sustainable defence-industrial ecosystem.
He explained that the reforms are designed not only to strengthen national security but also to stimulate economic growth through high-tech employment opportunities, increased university-based research, and the creation of new commercial markets.
A group photograph of all the Service Chiefs and the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa during the event.
As part of efforts to deepen collaboration between the military and the technology ecosystem, the Minister launched the Defence Futures Lab Pathway, a side event convened by Kryterion.
However, he clarified that the initiative is not intended as a procurement platform but rather as a forum for strategic engagement, capability development, and long-term planning.
“This is an opportunity to think ahead, organise better, and explore practical ways of strengthening the wider defence ecosystem,” he said.
Participants at the roundtable agreed to reconvene in three months to evaluate progress, review emerging technology concepts, and align future actions with the Federal Government’s indigenous defence strategy.
The summit brought together stakeholders from government, the military, academia, and the technology sector to explore innovative approaches to addressing Nigeria’s security and development needs through locally driven technological solutions.