President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria fully harnesses its human, material, and intellectual potential to drive industrialisation, peace, and prosperity.
The President gave the assurance on Thursday while receiving participants of Course 33 of the National Defence College (NDC) at the State House, Abuja.
Speaking at the event, President Tinubu urged the participants to see themselves as agents of positive change, noting that inclusive governance and a productive nation remain a collective responsibility.
“We must develop future strategic leaders sufficiently equipped with the requisite knowledge and analytical skills necessary to enhance the instrument of national power in a dynamic defence and security environment,” he said.
“It is our joint responsibility to ensure that this nation, Nigeria, is productive, governed inclusively, and takes care of the future of generations yet unborn.”
The President assured that his administration would continue to empower the nation’s defence and military institutions to develop highly trained officers capable of strengthening national security.
Commending the college leadership and participants for their commitment and patriotism, President Tinubu said the government would carefully study the recommendations contained in the team’s research paper titled “Harnessing Indigenous Manufacturing for Enhanced National Security by Year 2040.”
He described the paper’s emphasis on industrialisation as vital to the nation’s economic and strategic advancement.
“The strategic path to industrialisation, as enumerated in your presentation, gives credence to our shared vision for national development,” the President said.
Encouraging continuous intellectual engagement, he added: “We must challenge our curiosity, look at what other nations are doing, where we are today, how we got here, and where we are headed tomorrow.”
On the College’s request for the completion of its permanent site, which began in 2010, President Tinubu appealed for patience while assuring that his administration remained attentive to the institution’s needs.
Earlier, the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral A. Ahmed, said the NDC, established in 1992, remains Nigeria’s highest professional military education institution.
He disclosed that Course 33 comprised 99 participants — including officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as 23 international participants from Africa, Asia, and South America.
According to him, the course theme, “Strengthening Institutions for National Security and Development in Nigeria,” reflects the College’s focus on developing strategic leadership for national advancement.
The team leader, Captain M.A. Ahmed, noted that the research theme aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of industrialisation, economic diversification, and job creation.
He revealed that study teams visited 23 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia to examine indigenous manufacturing systems, citing Qatar as a model for economic transformation through strategic investment and diversification.
The research team commended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, highlighting that Nigeria’s projected GDP growth for 2026 ranks among the top three globally.
They recommended increased investment in infrastructure, product standardisation, and patronage of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to strengthen the nation’s industrial base and create employment.
The presentation concluded with a call for the implementation of Project Native 2040, aimed at positioning Nigeria as a global leader in indigenous manufacturing for national security and development.
