THESHIELD Garkuwa
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By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria–D7G has unveiled plans to construct Nigeria’s first military jetty in Lagos, a strategic project expected to strengthen indigenous defence production capacity and generate over 7,000 direct jobs.
Speaking during an on-the-spot assessment visit to the proposed site near Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G, Mr. Osman Chennar, described the project as a “critical backbone infrastructure” for Nigeria’s evolving defence manufacturing ecosystem.
“This jetty is not just a maritime structure; it is a strategic national asset,” Chennar said. “It will redefine how Nigeria sources, assembles, produces and exports defence equipment. It is about efficiency, security and national pride.”
According to a statement obtained by The PUNCH on Wednesday, Chennar who led members of the Board of Directors to inspect the site, stressed that the facility would enhance Nigeria’s defence logistics architecture and scale up local manufacturing.
He explained that the jetty would facilitate the seamless importation of Completely Knocked Down and Semi-Knocked Down components, raw materials and other critical inputs required for domestic assembly of military hardware.
“At the moment, we rely heavily on third-party maritime logistics. With this dedicated military jetty, we will significantly cut down turnaround time, reduce demurrage costs, and secure our supply chain,” he said.
Chennar disclosed that once operational, the project would engage over 2,000 retired senior military officers and approximately 5,000 skilled civilian workers across engineering, technical and logistics units.
“We are deliberately integrating retired military personnel into this framework because they bring decades of operational knowledge and discipline,” he said.
“At the same time, we are opening doors for thousands of Nigerian engineers, welders, fabricators, drone specialists and logistics experts. This is defence industrialisation meeting job creation.”
The CEO added that the jetty would support the local manufacturing and assembly of small and medium arms, ammunition, tactical drones, unmanned systems, anti-jammer drones, and 4×4 and 6×6 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.
Chennar further revealed that DICON-D7G had already commenced production of DG103 rifles in Kaduna for both Nigerian and African markets.
“Our DG103 rifle production line is active. The next step is strengthening inbound and outbound logistics. This jetty closes that gap,” he stated.
“We are building a fully integrated defence production chain, from import of components to final assembly and export.”
A member of the Board, Major General Mainasara Abdul Masanawa (retd.), described the initiative as a turning point in Nigeria’s quest for defence self-reliance.
“This facility will serve as both an import and export gateway,” Masanawa said.
“Beyond meeting local demand, Nigeria is positioning itself as a reliable defence manufacturing hub for friendly African nations.”
He noted that boosting local production capacity would help conserve foreign exchange, promote technology transfer and strengthen Nigeria’s strategic autonomy in defence procurement.
“Every rifle, drone or armoured vehicle assembled locally saves scarce foreign exchange. More importantly, it builds local expertise and ensures that our security architecture is not vulnerable to external supply shocks,” he added.
Masanawa emphasised that the project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in advancing self-reliance, job creation and economic diversification.
“This is not just a defence project; it is an economic project. It reflects a broader vision of industrial transformation under the Renewed Hope framework,” he said.
The military jetty project is scheduled for official launch in June 2026 and is being positioned as a milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to establish a resilient and self-sustaining defence industrial base.
“History will remember this as the point where Nigeria moved decisively from being largely an importer of defence hardware to becoming a serious producer and exporter, stressing the journey has begun.”Chennar concluded.
