Nigerian Army
China to
Nigerian Army
China to establish Assembly Line for Manufacturing
Defence Equipment in Nigeria
In order to ensure that Nigeria becomes empowered to locally
manufacture high-technology defence equipment, the China National
Electronics Inputs and Exports Corporation (CEIEC) has disclosed
that it has plans to introduce an Assembly and Production Line for
local manufacturing of defence equipment and other military
hardwares in the country.
Mr. Eric Zhang, the company’s Manager, Department of Africa
Market, made this known, on Wednesday, when he visited the Chief of
Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, at the
Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja.
“To start with, CEIEC can help provide a tactical radio station
as part of the establishing a defence equipment assembly line, for
Nigeria. The radio station, which can be utilized by the various
military services like the Navy, Air Force and Nigerian Army, will
serve as the basic infrastructure for military communication,” he
said.
Mr. Zhang, pointed out that the Chinese military industry has an
age-long history of robust cooperation and mutual relationship with
the Nigerian military.
Hence, he would be glad to see that there is massive number of
made-in-China items in Nigeria’s military and defence
equipment.
He added that CEIEC company belongs to the Corporation named
China Electronic Corporation, which is mainly responsible for
producing major defence products such as C4I System, Command and
Control System for defence purposes, and the radar system.
Zhang, further revealed that CEIEC currently has the contract
for defence electronic for over 30 countries across the world.
In a remark, Buratai, who was represented by the Chief of Policy
and Plans, Lt. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, said that the army was more
interested in building its capacity to be able to produce its
equipment.
He said that establishing a production line to either
manufacture or assemble some of the equipment would best serve the
interest of Nigeria and China.
According to him, the relationship between China and Nigeria is
not just starting as there have been so many areas of cooperation
in the area of military cooperation.
“As we speak, there are arrangements for the dale and purchase
of equipment directly from China for the armed forces of
Nigeria.
“One thing that is germane to the future Nigerian army is
developing the capacity to be able to produce or assemble some of
these things here.
“One, to reduce the time it takes for processes of importing
procedure and the bidding time by the country of manufacture takes
a lot of time.
“Establishing production line for some of these equipment will
best serve the interest of Nigeria and China better.
“This is the area we should be looking at as we continue to
establish our relationship further,” he said.