President Bola Tinubu has urged African countries to ensure that defence partnerships deliver lasting value by strengthening local expertise, industries and institutional capacity beyond the supply of military equipment.
Tinubu made the call on Monday at the opening ceremony of the Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 in Lagos.
The President, who was represented by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said major defence acquisitions should promote skills development, technology and knowledge transfer, as well as enhance Africa’s capacity to maintain and sustain military equipment. 
He said the success of defence partnerships should be measured by the capabilities left behind after equipment and other forms of support had been delivered.
“Every major acquisition should help develop skills, transfer knowledge, strengthen local industry and deepen our capacity to maintain what we operate.
“The measure of a successful partnership is the capability it leaves behind. African engineers must gain expertise; African enterprises must grow; African institutions must become stronger,” Tinubu said.
He also called for stronger and more sustainable support for African-led peace operations, stressing that military personnel deployed to conflict zones must have adequate resources, equipment and training.
“The courage to respond to crises must be matched by predictable resources, adequate equipment, rigorous training and sustained institutional support.
Those we send to keep the peace must have the means to keep the peace,” he said.
Tinubu said AFRIDEX should serve as a platform for military experience, innovation and industrial development, with partnerships focused on practical solutions to Africa’s security challenges.
He noted that threats confronting the continent had become increasingly complex and interconnected, ranging from terrorism and insurgency to piracy, cybercrime and emerging threats in cyberspace and outer space.
“From the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahel, from our territorial borders to cyberspace and outer space, the threats confronting us are becoming more complex and interconnected.
“They threaten lives and livelihoods, disrupt trade and weaken the foundations of development. Africa’s security must therefore command our collective attention, because there can be no enduring prosperity where fear governs daily life,” the President said.
Tinubu said Nigeria had experienced the devastating consequences of insecurity, including loss of lives, displacement of communities, disruption of livelihoods and denial of economic opportunities.
He commended the Armed Forces for their sacrifices in confronting terrorism, insurgency, banditry, piracy and other transnational threats, while stressing the need for sustained investment in military personnel and institutions.
“Our Armed Forces have confronted terrorism, insurgency, banditry, piracy and other transnational threats with courage and sacrifice. We honour their service and remember those who have paid the supreme price.
“Their sacrifices place an obligation upon us to provide the leadership, equipment, training and support they need,” he said.
The President also emphasised the importance of strengthening maritime security, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea, which he described as critical to trade, energy security and economic prosperity.
He called for greater cooperation among African countries to protect legitimate commerce and prevent criminal networks from exploiting the region’s waterways.
Tinubu further urged African nations to prepare for the changing nature of warfare, noting that cyber capabilities, space technologies, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems were transforming the global security environment.
He said Africa must invest in the knowledge, institutions and human capital needed to understand and responsibly deploy emerging technologies while developing indigenous solutions.
“Our young people have the talent; our responsibility is to create the opportunity,” he said.
Tinubu described AFRIDEX 2026 as a demonstration of Africa’s determination to transform its potential into practical defence capabilities.
“Let the partnerships formed here strengthen our readiness; let the knowledge exchanged here inspire our innovators; and let the commitments made here produce results our people can see,” he said.
He added that African countries must work towards building societies where peace promotes opportunity, public service earns trust and citizens can face the future with confidence.
