Tinubu signs defence corporation bill to empower military manufacture weapons

President Bola Tinubu has signed the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) bill into law.

Anjuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the president’s approval in a statement on Thursday.

Ngelale said corporation’s law was initially enacted in 1964 and was revised as the DICON act in chapter 94 of the laws of the federation, 2004.

The presidential spokesperson said the bill which repeals and replaces the initial law empowers the defence corporation to manufacture, store, and dispose of ordnance.

“[It] establish the Defence Industry Technology, Research, and Development Institute (DITRDI) to create an elaborate scientific and research-based technological foundation for Nigeria’s defence industry through the leveraging of combined, multi-disciplinary research from multiple military research institutes for application that leads to commercialization and the development of new military technology and capacity in Nigeria,” the statement reads.

“Provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for the regulation of the manufacturing, distribution, storage, and disposal of defence articles in Nigeria.

“Incentivize the development of a nuanced financing architecture that enables private capital to facilitate research, development, and production in the defence sector in a transparent and predictable fashion.”

The bill was passed by the ninth national assembly led by Ahmad Lawan, former president of the senate.

Last week, Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the house of representatives,  appealed to Tinubu to sign the defence corporation and army trust fund bills into laws.