Tinubu: Equipment purchases alone cannot secure Africa

President Tinubu warned that buying military equipment is not enough to guarantee Africa’s security. Defence partnerships matter only when they help countries sustain the systems they acquire. This means building local skills, institutions and industries alongside military capability.

He gave a clear test for each acquisition. It should develop African engineers, transfer knowledge, strengthen local enterprises and deepen the ability to maintain equipment. A partnership’s value should be measured by the capability it leaves behind, not simply by what it delivers.

The warning reflects Africa’s increasingly connected threats, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry, piracy, cyber threats and emerging technologies. Tinubu urged countries at AFRIDEX 2026 to turn agreements into practical results. Without local expertise and industry, countries may struggle to maintain their systems and could remain dependent on outside support.

AFRIDEX 2026 was the Africa International Defence Exhibition, held in Lagos. President Tinubu delivered his message at its opening ceremony, where Senate President Godswill Akpabio represented him. The event brought defence discussions and partnerships into one setting.

Its importance came from the opportunity to connect equipment, expertise and industrial development. Tinubu urged participating countries to ensure that agreements formed at the exhibition produced tangible results. He wanted knowledge exchanged there to inspire innovators and partnerships to improve readiness.

The exhibition also matched the wider security challenge facing Africa. Countries need cooperation against terrorism, insurgency, banditry, piracy, cyber threats and emerging technologies. AFRIDEX therefore served as a place to discuss not only what countries might buy, but also how African engineers, enterprises and institutions could become stronger.

African countries face a wide security landscape. Tinubu identified terrorism, insurgency, banditry and piracy, alongside cyber threats and emerging technologies. These dangers affect both physical security and the systems that support modern economies and government.

He described the threat environment geographically and technologically. Risks extend from the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahel, and from territorial borders to cyberspace and outer space. This breadth means countries cannot treat each danger as an isolated problem. Cooperation must connect military, maritime, cyber and technology efforts.

The current reality is that insecurity undermines lives, livelihoods, trade and development. Tinubu said Nigeria’s experience showed the cost of terrorism, insurgency, banditry and piracy. He called for collective attention, stronger cooperation and investment in cyber capabilities, space technologies, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.

In a defence partnership, technology transfer means ensuring that knowledge and technical expertise reach the African country receiving equipment or support. It turns a purchase into a learning opportunity. The goal is to build the ability to understand, operate and sustain military capabilities locally.

Tinubu said every major acquisition should develop skills and transfer knowledge. African engineers could gain expertise through training and cooperation, while African enterprises could grow by taking part in defence production, support or maintenance. The mechanism is direct: partnerships must strengthen local industry and institutions, rather than leaving all capability outside the country.

This matters because Africa faces complex security threats and needs sustainable systems. Tinubu urged investment in cyber capabilities, space technologies, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. He said African young people have the talent, but institutions must create opportunities for them to apply and develop it.

Buying advanced military equipment does not automatically create lasting security. If local personnel cannot understand, maintain or adapt the systems, the equipment may not deliver dependable capability over time. The central risk is a gap between possession and sustainable use.

Tinubu identified the remedy: every major acquisition should build skills, transfer knowledge and strengthen local industry. African engineers need expertise, while African enterprises and institutions need the capacity to support what the military operates. Maintenance capability is therefore part of the defence partnership, not an afterthought.

The article does not describe a specific equipment failure. It presents the broader danger of relying on purchases without building supporting capacity. Tinubu said strong institutions, reliable partnerships and industrial capacity are needed to sustain defence capabilities. He urged AFRIDEX participants to make their commitments produce results people can see.

A successful defence partnership is a shared responsibility. African governments must provide leadership, predictable funding, adequate equipment, rigorous training and institutional support. They must also create opportunities for local expertise and ensure that agreements deliver practical results.

Foreign suppliers and partners should do more than sell equipment. They should transfer knowledge, support training and help develop the capacity to maintain what African forces operate. Local industries must use that opportunity to grow enterprises, build technical expertise and support sustainable military capabilities. African institutions must become stronger as well.

Tinubu’s standard is the capability a partnership leaves behind. This approach matters because African-led peace operations and national forces face interconnected threats. The article calls for cooperation in maritime security, cyber capabilities, space technologies, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. Each participant must help turn agreements into readiness, innovation and durable support.

Weapons are only one part of lasting security. Strong institutions organize decisions and support forces, while public trust helps security efforts endure. Predictable funding provides continuity, and industrial capacity keeps defence systems operating after purchases are completed.

Tinubu linked these foundations to real military demands. Troops sent to conflict zones need predictable resources, adequate equipment, rigorous training and sustained institutional support. He also said Nigeria’s experience with terrorism, insurgency, banditry and piracy showed the cost of insecurity. These conditions require more than equipment alone.

The current challenge is to build systems that can respond over time. African countries must strengthen cooperation, protect the Gulf of Guinea and develop capabilities in cyber, space, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. Tinubu’s forward goal is security that supports economic opportunity and public confidence, rather than allowing fear to govern daily life.