Minister of Defence General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd) has called on Nigerian innovators, researchers, and startups to develop indigenous solutions to the country’s evolving security challenges, arguing that national security in the 21st century must be underpinned by technological advancement, industrial capacity, and strategic innovation alongside conventional military capabilities.
Speaking at the Omniverse Africa 3.0 Summit in Lagos, Musa delivered a keynote address on the theme “The 70/30 Rule: Why Nigeria’s Security and Innovation Agendas are the Same National Project,” stressing the urgent need for Nigeria to transition from being primarily a consumer of defence technologies to a producer of homegrown solutions capable of securing the nation both today and in the future.
He said the Ministry of Defence was undertaking reforms in doctrine, acquisition processes, and training to prioritize unmanned systems and robotics, surveillance technologies, cybersecurity, secure communications, artificial intelligence governance, data-driven decision-making tools, and advanced domestic manufacturing. He said these reforms aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on industrialization and economic development, and that ongoing reforms at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria were aimed at creating an ecosystem where defence investments stimulated economic growth, generated high-technology jobs, strengthened university research, and opened commercial opportunities.
At the summit, Musa launched the Defence Futures Lab Pathway, a side event convened by Kryterion designed to foster partnerships between the defence sector and the technology ecosystem and accelerate innovation in national security capabilities. He said the platform was not a procurement exercise but an opportunity for strategic thinking and long-term capability development.
