Abuja: The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and DMG Events have announced that the upcoming Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 is poised to unlock new defence-industrial opportunities across the continent. This announcement was made by the Director-General of DICON, Maj.-Gen. Babatunde Alaya, and the President of DMG, Christopher Hudson, during a briefing with newsmen in Abuja. The exhibition aims to strengthen Africa’s position within the global security ecosystem.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the DICON Director-General highlighted that the event represents a landmark initiative designed to serve as a global platform for defence, security, and technology stakeholders. This platform will facilitate the exchange of excellent ideas and the proposal of cutting-edge innovations. The event is expected to become Africa’s premier defence and security exhibition, showcasing Nigeria’s growing influence as a hub for industrial innovation, strategic cooperation, and global security collaboration.
The exhibition is set to attract a wide array of participants from Africa, Europe, and Asia. These participants will include leading defence manufacturers, policymakers, security experts, and technocrats from advanced industries. Over the course of four days, attendees will engage in strategic forums, high-level discussions, program demonstrations, and exhibitions that feature the latest technologies in land, air, maritime, and sabotage defence systems. The event will serve as a meeting point for government agencies, armed forces, research institutions, and private investors, providing a platform for public-private partnerships and cross-continental cooperation.
For Nigeria, this exhibition presents an opportunity to demonstrate its readiness to lead Africa’s industrial defence sector. The event aligns perfectly with the Federal Government’s vision and agendas. DMG President Christopher Hudson emphasized that hosting the event in Nigeria highlights the country’s status as Africa’s largest economy and a regional leader in defence capabilities, industrial ambition, and security cooperation. He noted that defence investments and capability development across African nations are accelerating at a remarkable pace, with allocations reaching approximately $52 billion and projected to increase in expanding domains such as maritime, cyber, and space.
Hudson further explained that these efforts are driving modernization, strengthening cooperation, and opening opportunities for industrial collaboration. It is within this context that the African International Defence Exhibition is being created. The four-day exhibition in 2026 is expected to attract 30,000 attendees, over 100 companies, and more than 500 exhibition companies. The event will offer access to global technologies, sovereign capability partners, and regional solutions aligned with Africa’s operational realities.