RismadarVoice Reporters, August 25, 2026
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has joined former President Goodluck Jonathan, Defence Minister Christopher Musa and other senior security chiefs to advocate stronger industrial capacity as a foundation for economic resilience and sustainable security in Africa.
The high-level engagement took place on Monday at the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, during the Graduation Lecture for Course 34, delivered by former President Jonathan.
The lecture, titled “Harnessing Industrial Capacity for Inclusive Growth and Regional Stability in Africa,” examined the connection between industrial development, national resilience and security in the face of emerging threats across the continent.
Participants, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Defence Intelligence, Director-General of the Department of State Services and other strategic stakeholders, stressed the need for African countries to strengthen indigenous production, advance technology and reduce dependence on external sources.
The forum noted that sustainable security goes beyond military capability, requiring strong economies, industrial development, technological innovation and effective governance to address some of the root causes of instability.
The participation of senior defence and security leaders underscored the need for a whole-of-government approach to national security, with industrial strength and economic resilience increasingly recognised as critical components of national defence.
The graduation lecture formed part of activities marking the completion of NDC Course 34, reinforcing the College’s mandate of equipping senior military, security and civilian officials with strategic knowledge and leadership capacity to respond to complex national and global security challenges.
