Reps urge FG to adopt drone industrialisation policy to boost defence manufacturing

The lawmakers expressed concern that the country’s drone manufacturing ecosystem remained largely driven by private companies, with limited access to capital and insufficient government support.

The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to adopt a strategic National Drone Industrialisation Policy to strengthen Nigeria’s defence manufacturing capacity and reduce the country’s dependence on imported unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos) during plenary on Wednesday.

Presenting the motion, Mr Kuye said Nigeria continued to face persistent and evolving security threats, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and pipeline vandalism, which had placed sustained pressure on the operational capacity of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

He said drones had become indispensable tools in modern warfare, intelligence gathering, surveillance and counter-insurgency operations, noting that non-state armed groups were increasingly deploying the technology against Nigerian troops.

“Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have become indispensable tools of modern warfare, intelligence gathering, surveillance, and counterinsurgency operations globally, and non-state armed groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), are already deploying commercial drones against Nigerian troops,” he said.

The lawmaker said Nigeria had taken important early steps towards developing indigenous capacity in drone manufacturing, citing the development of the Tsaigumi UAV by the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 2018.

He, however, expressed concern that the country’s drone manufacturing ecosystem remained largely driven by private companies, with limited access to capital and insufficient government support.

According to him, the absence of a structured national policy, a technology transfer framework, legislative incentives, and dedicated defence industrial zones had limited Nigerian drone manufacturers’ ability to scale their operations and develop sophisticated systems capable of meeting the requirements of the Armed Forces.

Mr Kuye said Nigeria possessed the necessary human and institutional resources to become a major hub for drone technology in Africa.

He cited the country’s pool of engineering talent, growing technology entrepreneurship ecosystem, existing military-industrial partnerships and status as Africa’s largest economy as key advantages that could support the development of a competitive domestic drone industry.

He argued that the country could only fully exploit those advantages through deliberate government policy, adequate capitalisation and legislative support.

Resolution

The motion was adopted without debate.

Following the adoption, the House urged the federal government to provide structured capital support to verified Nigerian drone manufacturing companies to enable them to expand their operations and meet military procurement standards.

The companies listed in the resolution include Beirech UAS, Terra Industries, Elites Group, Proforce and AFIT.

The lawmakers also called for the development and adoption of a National Drone Industrialisation Policy to provide a clear roadmap for transitioning Nigeria’s drone manufacturing sector from its current largely entrepreneurial stage to a structured, state-supported strategic industry.

The House further mandated its Committees on Defence and National Security and Intelligence to work with the Nigerian military and relevant government agencies to identify and formalise technology transfer agreements with reputable international drone manufacturers.

It also mandated its Committees on Defence, Industry and Commerce to work with relevant agencies to create and designate dedicated Defence Industrial Zones for drone manufacturing, research and maintenance.

It also mandated its Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence, Industry, Commerce, and Science and Technology to undertake a legislative review of existing laws and regulatory frameworks governing drone manufacturing and related technologies.

The review is expected to identify gaps that may be hindering the growth of the domestic drone industry and recommend legislative measures to support local production while maintaining appropriate national security safeguards.

The resolution is expected to place greater emphasis on collaboration among the government, the military, local manufacturers, research institutions, and the private sector to build a sustainable defence-industrial ecosystem.