Nigeria, S/Africa strengthen pact on security

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Nuratu Batagarawa has said Nigeria established the Defence Industries Association (DIAN), to enhance collaboration with the South African aerospace and military technology company DENEL.

She said this yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 4th Nigeria-South Africa Defence Committee Meeting (DEFCOM) in Abuja.

The DEFCOM started in 2013 following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Nigeria and South Africa on Defence Corporation.

The DEFCOM was established as part of the agreement for meeting requirements of both countries relating to military training, equipment, research and facilitation of defence industries, among others.

Batagarawa said at the end of the 3rd session of DEFCOM meeting in 2017, it was decided that Nigeria should consider establishing the DIAN as one of the drivers of the proposed Military Industrial Complex.

She added that the DIAN is to follow up on pending MOU with other Defence related industries from South Africa.

She said now that DIAN is fully functional the DEFCOM would consider endorsing the MOU between the defence industries of both countries.

She said this DEFCOM would also discourse military research, development and innovation of defence equipment, specialized military training and capacity building in space defence technology.

Other areas she mentioned include; medical training and defence personnel; counter terrorism and counter insurgency.