FG reaffirms support for indigenous defence manufacturers, urges quality control

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting indigenous defence equipment manufacturers, urging them to sustain high product quality and strict integrity checks, particularly for items meant for export.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mr Richard Pheelangwa gave the assurance during a familiarisation visit to Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL) and Proforce Group Limited, both located in Ogun.

This is contained in a statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Enderline Chukwu, on Thursday in Abuja.

Pheelangwa commended EPAIL for its contributions to Nigeria’s security architecture and its support to military operations within Nigeria and across Africa.

He urged the company to sustain the production of durable and reliable equipment to meet operational demands.

He said the Ministry of Defence had continued to demonstrate strong institutional support for the company, including facilitating the issuance of End User Certificates as well as tax exemptions to ease the importation of critical raw materials.

According to him, sustained collaboration with the ministry would require continuous integrity and quality checks on all defence items produced, especially those supplied to clients outside Nigeria, noting that product quality and service delivery would determine patronage and credibility in the international market.

Responding, the Managing Director of EPAIL, Mr Kola Balogun, thanked the permanent secretary for the visit and the consistent support from the ministry, pledging continued collaboration in all areas of operation.

EPAIL is an indigenous defence company specialising in the production of military operational tools and security equipment, and is a key supplier to the Nigerian military and international clients.

Similarly, Pheelangwa also visited Proforce Group Limited, where he acknowledged the company’s growth into Nigeria’s first indigenous defence contractor specialising in the design and manufacture of armoured vehicles and security systems for land and naval applications.

He commended Proforce for its role in strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and urged the company to sustain the production of durable defence solutions to support military operations within Nigeria and across Africa.

The permanent secretary reiterated the ministry’s support for Proforce through facilitation of End User Certificates and tax exemptions to support the importation of raw materials required for its projects.

In his remarks, the Managing Director of Proforce Group, Mr Ade Ogundeyin, appreciated the ministry’s recognition and assured of continuous collaboration in advancing Nigeria’s defence industrial capacity.