The organizers of the Nigeria Security Exhibition and Conference (NISECEXPO) have secured a strategic partnership with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) ahead of the 2025 edition of the continent’s leading defence trade show. The collaboration was formalized during a meeting between Frank Ohwofa, the convener of NISECEXPO, and Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya, the 25th Director General of DICON, on Monday,17th October 2025, at the Navy Holdings in Abuja.
The partnership will see DICON co-host the 8th edition of the NISECEXPO with the theme Future Wars: Operational Endurance And Force Build-Up Capabilities. The event is slated to be held in December 08 – 10, 2025 at the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, Nigeria.
This partnership arrives at a critical juncture for Nigeria’s military-industrial complex. Major General Alaya, who assumed command on April 30, 2025, is tasked with operationalizing the sweeping reforms introduced by the DICON Act of 2023. For the defence community, the upcoming exhibition serves as a litmus test for the corporation’s progress in transitioning from a legacy ordnance factory to a modern military manufacturer capable of meeting domestic security needs.
Revitalizing a Legacy Asset
Established by an Act of Parliament in 1964, DICON was originally set up with technical assistance from the West German firm Fritz Werner to produce small arms and ammunition. For decades, the corporation struggled with underfunding and lack of legislative support, often resorting to manufacturing civilian goods like furniture and spare parts to maintain cash flow during low-intensity security periods.
However, the security landscape in Nigeria has shifted drastically. Faced with insurgency in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, and maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea, the demand for locally sourced material has spiked. The reliance on foreign imports proved costly and logistically fragile, prompting a strategic pivot toward autarky.
The legislative backbone for this revival is the DICON Act 2023, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu. Sponsored by Babajimi Benson, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, the Act repeals the outdated 1964 statute. Crucially, it empowers DICON to operate subsidiaries, attract private capital, and establish a dedicated Research and Development (R&D) institute. This regulatory framework aims to strip away bureaucratic bottlenecks that previously hampered rapid production and innovation.
Current Capabilities and Output
Under the previous leadership of Major General Aniedi Edet and continuing under General Alaya, DICON has restarted production lines that had been dormant for years. In early 2024, the corporation reported the delivery of four million rounds of ammunition to the Nigerian Army, marking a return to steady-state manufacturing.
Beyond small arms and munitions, DICON has expanded into vehicular platforms. The flagship product remains the Ezugwu Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. Designed to withstand improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and ambushes common in asymmetric warfare, the Ezugwu has become a staple for troops deployed in counter-insurgency operations. The corporation also manufactures ballistic vests, helmets, and uniforms, aiming to outfit the Nigerian Armed Forces with locally produced personal protective equipment (PPE).
The federal government has set an ambitious target to increase local production of defence equipment to 40 percent by 2027. To support this, the administration approved a $1 billion investment deal with India in September 2023 to modernize DICON’s facilities. This capital injection targets the production of more sophisticated hardware, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), advanced sensors, and artillery systems, moving the corporation up the value chain.
The Role of NISECEXPO 2025
NISECEXPO has operated since 2014 as a forum for defence policy makers, service chiefs, and industry stakeholders from over 50 nations. By aligning with DICON, the 2025 edition aims to bridge the gap between policy planning and industrial output.
For defence analysts and engineers, the exhibition provides a platform to evaluate the technical efficacy of DICON’s new joint ventures. The corporation has recently signed multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with both local and international firms. These agreements cover technology transfer and co-production of armored tanks and retrofitting services. The expo will likely showcase the tangible results of these partnerships, offering a transparent look at how private capital is being integrated into state-owned manufacturing lines.
The partnership also signals a push for export potential. The new DICON Act explicitly allows for the export of surplus defence products. By utilizing NISECEXPO’s international reach, DICON aims to market its hardware to other African nations facing similar regional security threats, positioning Nigeria as a net exporter of security solutions rather than a perpetual importer.