# Nigeria and Pakistani GIDS forge deeper defence ties

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2025/10/nigeria-and-pakistani-gids-forge-deeper-defence-ties/
- Published: 2025-10-13T08:47:21+01:00
- Author: Ekene Lionel

A delegation from Pakistan’s Global Industrial and Defence Solutions visited Nigeria’s
Defence Industries Corporation in mid-September 2025 to lay groundwork for joint
production of unmanned aerial vehicles, munitions, and missiles. Held at the Army
War College in Abuja, the talks aligned with reforms under [the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act 2023](https://www.military.africa/2023/11/nigeria-signs-dicon-bill-boosts-defence-industry/),
which President Bola Tinubu signed into law in December 2023 to expand local manufacturing
and curb import dependence. These efforts come as Nigeria confronts persistent insurgencies
in the northeast and banditry in the northwest, where affordable, indigenous platforms
could sustain operations without straining foreign exchange reserves.

**Global Industrial and Defence Solutions**, Pakistan’s premier state-owned defence
firm, brings proven expertise to the table. Established as a conglomerate under 
the Ministry of Defence Production, it oversees divisions for air, land, and naval
systems, with exports to more than 16 countries and ongoing dialogues in over 30
others. The firm pledged to navigate Nigeria’s regulatory landscape, easing bureaucratic
hurdles that often delay foreign ventures. Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya,
DICON’s director general, endorsed the initiative, noting it supports the act’s 
mandate for a self-reliant military-industrial base tailored to the Nigerian Armed
Forces’ requirements. Participants outlined a joint venture framework, emphasising
technology transfer to build local skills in assembly and maintenance.

![](https://www.military.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/nigeria-pakistani-GIDS-
2-1024x682.jpg)

Asad Kamal, CEO of Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS), held a detailed
meeting with the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), at Air Headquarters(
AHQ), Abuja. Discussions focused on strengthening defence cooperation and exploring
future collaboration. (Image by NAF)

This DICON engagement capped a series of high-level exchanges. On the same trip,
Asad Kamal, GIDS chief executive, met Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters
in Abuja to discuss expanded cooperation. The session, held around September 18,
2025, explored procurement and training ties, building on broader Nigerian-Pakistani
military links verified as of October 13, 2025. Pakistan’s Air Force and Nigeria’s
have collaborated since the 1960s, training over 2,000 Nigerian personnel in recent
years alone. Such partnerships yield tangible gains: Nigerian pilots gain exposure
to advanced simulators, while Pakistan accesses West African operational insights
from counter-terrorism campaigns.

Earlier overtures set the stage. In May 2024, GIDS and Nigeria’s Proforce Intelligence
Systems Limited i[nked a memorandum of understanding at the Africa Air Force Forum](https://www.military.africa/2024/05/proforce-and-gids-sign-landmark-partnership-on-defence-collaboration/)
in Lagos, committing to technology swaps and regional stability efforts. The pact
covers intelligence-sharing tools and joint development of surveillance systems,
addressing gaps in Nigeria’s real-time battlefield awareness. Proforce, a homegrown
firm specialising in armoured vehicles, complements GIDS’s aviation focus, potentially
yielding hybrid platforms for hybrid threats like armed convoys in the Sahel.

In 2021, the Nigerian military [indicated interest in collaborating](https://www.military.africa/2021/07/nigeria-pakistan-seeks-collaboration-on-defense-capabilities/)
with the Pakistan Armed Forces (PAF) in the area of defence capabilities to further
boost its operations. The former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor,
stated this when he hosted the Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee(
PCJCSC), General Nadeem Raza, in Abuja. The CDS stated that the AFN under his watch
would further strengthen the long-existing strategic partnership with its Pakistani
counterpart on human capacity building, acquisition of military platforms, and modern
communication gadgets.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

GIDS showcased its capabilities months prior, in March 2024, with a[ live-fire demonstration of the Shahpar II Block II unmanned aerial vehicle](https://www.military.africa/2024/03/pakistani-gids-demos-shahpar-ii-drone-in-new-marketing-drive/)
near Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Delegates from Nigeria, Kenya, and nine other nations
observed the medium-altitude, long-endurance drone strike stationary and mobile 
targets using Burq laser-guided missiles. The event targeted export markets, positioning
the Shahpar II as a cost-effective alternative to pricier Western or Turkish rivals.

The Shahpar II measures eight meters long with a 9.45-meter wingspan and a maximum
takeoff weight of 1,075 kilograms. It hauls 53 kilograms internally or 190 kilograms
externally, ideal for electro-optical payloads or precision ordnance. Twin-rotary
engines enable 20 hours of surveillance endurance at 23,000 feet or 12 hours in 
armed configuration, with a top speed of 220 kilometres per hour. Operators control
it via line-of-sight or satellite links up to 250 kilometres, fusing infrared and
daylight imagery for target designation. In Nigeria’s context, this persistence 
suits wide-area patrols over the Lake Chad Basin, where insurgents exploit vast 
terrains.

ADVERTISEMENT

Paired with the Burq family of air-to-ground missiles, the system gains teeth. The
Burq-45 variant weighs 45 kilograms, with a 10-kilogram high-explosive warhead and
semi-active laser homing for ranges from 2.5 to 12 kilometres. Its 1.45-meter length
fits drone bays, and a circular error probable under 1.5 meters ensures hits on 
vehicles or bunkers. The missile’s gimbaled seeker resists jamming, trading some
speed for accuracy in cluttered environments. Heavier Burq-50P options extend to
thermobaric warheads for fortified positions, broadening mission sets from reconnaissance
to close air support.

These platforms address Nigeria’s operational shortfalls. The Nigerian Air Force
fields a mix of legacy aircraft like Alpha Jets, L-39 Albatross, and newer JF-17s
and Super Tucanos, which have carried out sorties against Boko Haram and Islamic
State West Africa Province.

Broader Nigerian reforms amplify these ties. The[ DICON Act](https://www.military.africa/2023/11/nigeria-signs-dicon-bill-boosts-defence-industry/)
empowers public-private ventures, as seen in August 2025 pacts with [firms like D7G ](https://www.military.africa/2025/05/dicon-partners-d7g-to-ramp-up-arms-production/)
for infantry weapons and surveillance drones. Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru
Abubakar urged deeper Pakistan links in April 2025, citing shared counter-terrorism
experiences. A June 2025 statement from his office affirmed progress toward hardware
self-reliance, including ammunition plants via the National Agency for Science and
Engineering Infrastructure. Pakistan’s April 2025 reaffirmation of military collaboration,
including joint exercises, rounds out the package.

### _Related_