The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called for increased investment in indigenous technology and local defence manufacturing across Africa to reduce dependence on foreign military equipment and strengthen the continent’s capacity to address security challenges.
Shaibu made the call during a visit to the Rwanda Engineering and Manufacturing Corporation in Kigali, Rwanda, on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, as part of his official working visit to the country.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the army chief stressed the strategic importance of developing homegrown technological solutions and expanding local manufacturing capabilities to achieve sustainable security.
During the visit, Shaibu was received by the Chief Executive Officer of REMCO, Emile Rungambajaye, who led him through the corporation’s engineering and manufacturing facilities.
The engagement focused on the role of African innovation, research and industrial development in building resilient defence systems and reducing dependence on foreign supply chains.
Established in 2018, REMCO is a government-owned engineering and manufacturing company specialising in precision engineering, machining, metal casting, fabrication and the production of machinery, equipment and spare parts.
The statement noted that the corporation’s expanding capabilities demonstrated the potential of African countries to develop critical technologies and strengthen local production capacity.
It added that the visit highlighted opportunities for Nigeria to strengthen its indigenous defence industrial base through institutions such as the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON.
According to the statement, expanding local defence manufacturing would help sustain military operations, improve equipment availability, strengthen maintenance capacity and encourage technological innovation within the Nigerian Army.
The initiative also aligns with Shaibu’s vision of building a professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient Nigerian Army capable of responding effectively to emerging security threats.
The army chief’s engagement with REMCO further underscored the need for African countries to deepen technological partnerships, invest in research and development, and harness indigenous expertise to develop solutions to their security challenges.
The statement added that strengthening local research, innovation and manufacturing had become increasingly important amid evolving security threats and uncertainties in global defence supply chains.
It said Africa’s long-term security, economic resilience and technological independence would depend largely on the continent’s ability to develop homegrown innovations and establish sustainable defence-industrial partnerships.
The statement was signed by Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, on October 21, 2026.
