The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. (retd.) Christopher Musa, has identified Nigeria’s dependence on imported weapons and ammunition as one of the factors prolonging the country’s security challenges.

Musa said the difficulty in obtaining essential military equipment from foreign suppliers, even when funds were available, had affected efforts to tackle insecurity.

He spoke on Friday during the inauguration of the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Security Management, known as the “CG Musa Security Management Hub”, at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The minister stressed the need for Nigeria to strengthen its local defence manufacturing capacity, explaining that the country must be able to produce the weapons and equipment required by its security agencies.

According to him, the government intends to connect indigenous manufacturers with international defence companies to improve local production and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

He noted that ongoing conflicts in different parts of the world, particularly Ukraine, Russia and the Strait of Hormuz, had made it increasingly difficult to procure military equipment, including ammunition and Armoured Personnel Carriers.

Musa said the country’s security challenges had become more complex and required a combination of effective policies, strong institutions, technological advancement and a better understanding of the human factors driving conflicts.

He also highlighted the importance of universities and research institutions in addressing insecurity, noting that academic research could help identify the causes of conflicts, assess existing responses and develop sustainable solutions.

The minister assured Nigerians that the government had intensified security operations and was gradually recording improvements, while urging citizens to contribute to national security through cooperation and timely reporting of suspicious activities.

He added that collaboration between defence institutions and academic centres would help ensure that security policies and military operations were informed by research, innovation and credible evidence.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, commended the minister for providing the facility, expressing confidence that it would benefit both current and future generations.

Adebowale said the university intended to develop the centre into a major hub for security research in Africa.

He explained that the facility should serve as a platform for multidisciplinary research and engagement between policymakers and academics, rather than merely housing security-related artefacts.

He added that research findings from the centre should provide useful data to guide the Ministry of Defence and security agencies.

Similarly, the centre’s lead researcher and technical officer, Prof. Isaac Albert, appreciated the minister for fulfilling his commitment to the institution.

Albert called for increased funding for security management research and urged security agencies to work closely with the centre’s experts in developing and implementing effective policies.

Earlier, the Director of the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Security Management, Prof. Benjamin Aluko, thanked the minister for donating the building and encouraged Nigerians to enrol in the university’s master’s and doctoral programmes in Security Management.