By Gloria Ikibah
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.mBenjamin Kalu, has called for a major shift in Nigeria’s security strategy, urging increased local production of military equipment and stronger financial controls to disrupt criminal and terrorist networks.
Speaking at the Nigeria People’s Strategic Conference and Defence Exhibition 2026 in Abuja on Saturday, Kalu said the country must reduce its dependence on imported weapons and invest more heavily in building a self-reliant defence manufacturing sector capable of supporting national security needs. 
The conference, which focused on integrating private sector capacity into Nigeria’s security architecture, brought together stakeholders from government, business and the security community to discuss solutions to the country’s evolving security challenges.
He argued that expanding domestic arms production would not only strengthen national defence capabilities but also create jobs, stimulate industrial growth and reduce vulnerabilities associated with reliance on foreign suppliers.
The Deputy Speaker also highlighted the critical role of the financial sector in the fight against insecurity, calling on banks and other financial institutions to intensify due diligence measures and strengthen transaction monitoring systems to identify and block illicit financial flows that sustain criminal groups and terrorist organisations.
He emphasised that addressing insecurity requires coordinated action across multiple sectors and urged participants to move beyond discussions towards concrete commitments and measurable outcomes.
According to him, technology companies have a vital role to play by developing platforms that enhance intelligence gathering, information sharing and early warning systems. He also underscored the importance of civil society organisations in strengthening trust between communities and government institutions, particularly in areas affected by insecurity.
Kalu further assured stakeholders that the National Assembly will continue to support security reforms through legislative action, constitutional review processes, budgetary allocations and robust oversight of security-related programmes.
The Deputy Speaker maintained that despite the security challenges facing the country, Nigeria remains resilient and capable of overcoming its difficulties through stronger institutions, innovation and greater collaboration among public and private sector actors.
He said: “Every sector represented in this room must leave with a specific, measurable role in Nigeria’s security architecture. The defence industry must deepen local capacity so that we do not import what we can produce. The technology sector must offer platforms for intelligence sharing and community early warning. The financial sector must tighten the chokepoints through which criminal and terrorist financing flows. The civil society must continue to build the bridges between communities and government that make sustainable peace possible.
“And the legislature, we will continue to provide the legal scaffolding on which all of this is built. We will continue to review the constitution where it needs reviewing. We will appropriate resources where resources are needed. We will provide oversight to ensure that what is promised is delivered. We will legislate not for public applause but for the protection of lives and the dignity of every Nigerian.”
Kalu noted that the House recently voted 289 to 2 in favour of a safer Nigeria through the State Police constitutional amendment, describing the near-unanimity as patriotic rather than partisan.
“I am proud to serve in an assembly that just two days ago voted 289 to 2 in favour of a safer Nigeria. That near-unanimity was not partisan. It was patriotic. And it must be matched by an equal unity of purpose in this room today.
“There is a Nigeria on the other side of this season. That Nigeria is not a promise. It is a project. A project that belongs to all of us; both the legislature and the executive, the uniform and the suit, the community and the corporation, the government and the governed.
“We are a people worth fighting for. This republic is worth building. And let this moment be the moment we decide, formally and finally, to build it together”, he said.
The Deputy Speaker also dismissed the feelings in some quarters that Nigeria was failing.
“Nigeria is not failing. Nigeria is fighting. There is a difference. A failing country stops trying. Nigeria has never stopped trying. That is our heritage. That is our irreducible character. But resilience must be met by structure. Courage must be met by policy. The sacrifice of the Nigerian people deserves a security ecosystem worthy of the sacrifice”, he said.
The event drew participants from the defence industry, financial institutions, civil society, and security agencies.
