Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed a long-term strategy to harness Nigeria’s indigenous manufacturing capabilities, aiming to significantly enhance national security by the year 2040.
The plan was presented to him by participants of the National Defence College’s Course 33 during an audience at the Council Chambers in Abuja.
The President assured the military officers and civilian participants that his administration would carefully study their research paper, titled ‘Harnessing Indigenous Manufacturing for Enhanced National Security by Year 2040’, for implementation.
He described the proposal as aligning with his government’s resolve to maximise Nigeria’s human, material, and intellectual potential.
“I have listened attentively to your presentation. We must develop future strategic leaders sufficiently equipped with the requisite knowledge and analytical skills necessary to enhance the instrument of national power in a dynamic defence and security environment,” President Tinubu stated.
He further emphasised the collective nature of the task, linking economic development directly to national sovereignty.
“It is our joint responsibility to ensure that this nation, Nigeria, is productive, it is governed inclusively, and takes care of the future of our generation yet unborn. It is our patriotic duty to look further into the horizon, to be determined and be resilient, to invoke our spirit that can achieve greatness, to train our people, develop our economy, promote industrial development, and ensure that sovereignty is assured, protected, and will remain resilient.”
The presentation given to the President was the culmination of extensive international research. The National Defence College sent study teams to over 23 countries worldwide, including eight in Africa, nine in Europe, and six in Asia, to analyse their indigenous manufacturing sectors.
The team leader, Captain M.A. Ahmed, informed the President that the course’s research topic was designed to align with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in terms of economic diversification through industrialisation, digitalisation, creativity, and manufacturing.
A key case study highlighted was the State of Qatar. The research team found compelling parallels between Qatar’s former economic structure and Nigeria’s current situation.
“Notably, Qatar had a mono-economy in which oil and gas accounted for about 90% of exports and about 51% of the GDP, which was similar to the situation in Nigeria as of 2007. The Qatari government enacted several strategic interventions, and our team drew lessons from the infrastructure. The government of Qatar invested over $300 billion between 2011 and 2022,” Captain Ahmed explained.
The research team commended the current economic strides of the Tinubu administration, noting that only two countries had better GDP growth projections in 2026 than Nigeria.
Their study concluded with specific recommendations for Nigeria, including a call for massive investment in infrastructure, product standardisation, and enhanced patronage of the nation’s own military industry complex, the Defence Industrial Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
The presentation concluded with a call for presidential directives to implement what it termed “Project Native 2040”. It argued that “visionary leadership and strategic execution will enable Nigeria to harness indigenous manufacturing for national security and development by 2040.”
While receiving the plan, President Tinubu also challenged the participants, who included 99 military officers, police, civil servants, and 23 international participants from Africa, Asia, and South America, to remain committed agents of positive national development. He commended the College, the highest professional military educational institution in Nigeria, for its role in building strategic leadership.
The President also addressed the College’s long-standing request for the full development of its permanent site, a project that began in 2010, asking the management to “be patient.”
Discussion about this post