General Maduegbunam: No Country Will Transfer Technology to Us for Free

Former DICON Director-General General Nnaemeka Maduegbunam (rtd) stated that no country will transfer technology to Nigeria for free. He emphasized that technology provides advanced nations an advantage over developing countries. Maduegbunam urged Nigerian leaders to focus on harnessing the talents of Nigerians to advance the country technologically.

He argued that Nigeria possesses the intellectual resources and expertise required to develop indigenous technologies to tackle pressing challenges. During the book launch of 'We Can Do It: Towards Nigeria’s Self-Reliance in Science and Technology,' Maduegbunam highlighted the importance of indigenous capacity. He recounted how he revitalized DICON with a budget of N1 billion, transforming it into a successful entity that manufactured indigenous AK-47 rifles, known as OBJ-06.

He also praised the efforts of subsequent leaders, notably Major General Victor Ezugwu, who oversaw the production of the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, code-named "Ezugwu." Maduegbunam strongly advocated for Nigerians to rely on their own capabilities, rather than relying solely on external solutions. He pointed out that many issues within organizations could be resolved with minimal financial investment.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, stressed that the Nigerian military cannot operate optimally by depending solely on external solutions. He highlighted the military's commitment to homegrown solutions, promoting local capacity, innovation, maintenance, and repair. The Chairman of the event, Prof. Bathlomew Nnaji, emphasized that Nigeria cannot address the high cost of defense equipment and the impact of the soaring exchange rate without producing military hardware domestically.

He commended General Maduegbunam for demonstrating that self-reliance is achievable in the defense industry.