The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, revealed that the Nigerian police require 350 million rounds of ammunition annually to function effectively. He made this statement during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishing a weapon production plant in Abuja, involving the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), and the National Agency for Science and Engineering (NASENI).
Matawalle emphasized the importance of self-sufficiency in defense production, expressing regret that Nigeria has failed to develop its institutions over the past 60 years. He assured President Bola Tinubu that DICON would begin exporting military capabilities before the end of his four-year term.
The Minister highlighted that if Nigeria could produce 60 to 70 percent of its military hardware and ammunition, it would significantly reduce the defense ministry’s spending on procurement. He noted that the military alone needs 200 million rounds of ammunition annually, while the total requirement, including other paramilitary forces and the police, reaches 350 million rounds.