President Bola Tinubu has officially given his assent to the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Bill, 2023, signifying a pivotal moment for the country’s defence sector.
Initially established on August 1, 1964, through an Act of Parliament, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria underwent revision as the DICON Act in Chapter 94 of the Laws of the Federation, 2004.
The newly assented Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act, 2023, supersedes the previous version, granting DICON the authority to oversee subsidiaries and ordnance factories, involving the manufacturing, storage, and disposal of ordnance and related materials.
Furthermore, the legislation brings into being the Defence Industry Technology, Research, and Development Institute (DITRDI). This institute is tasked with establishing a robust scientific and research-oriented technological framework for Nigeria’s defence industry. It aims to harness interdisciplinary military research from various institutes, leading to commercialization and the advancement of new military technologies and capabilities in Nigeria.
Notably, the act also encompasses an extensive regulatory framework for the oversight of manufacturing, distribution, storage, and disposal of defence articles within Nigeria.
Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, affirmed that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Bill, 2023, was championed by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson (APC, Ikorodu Federal Constituency).
