The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has thrown its weight behind the Africa’s maiden Defence and Security Exhibition, scheduled to hold in Nigeria this year.
According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, the Africa International Defence and Security Exhibition (AFRIDECS), unveiled in Abuja on Tuesday, 21 January 2026, is being positioned as a platform that will bring together global defence manufacturers, military institutions, security agencies, policymakers and technology innovators under one roof.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the AFRIDECS Steering Committee to the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters, the Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General Babatunde Alaya, described the exhibition as a strategic milestone for Nigeria and the wider African continent.
According to him, AFRIDECS will showcase Nigeria’s growing indigenous defence manufacturing capacity across land, sea, air, cyber and space domains, while also providing a global marketplace for cutting-edge security solutions.
“AFRIDECS is conceived to showcase indigenous capabilities and manufacturing, while leveraging the expertise and experience of international defence manufacturers,” he said. “It will serve as a convergence point for defence, security and technology stakeholders to exchange ideas, innovations and solutions.”
He added that the exhibition is designed to become Africa’s premier defence and security showcase, reflecting Nigeria’s rising influence in defence industrialisation, regional security cooperation and strategic innovation. Planning and execution, he noted, are being overseen by a multi-agency Steering Committee constituted by the Defence Headquarters.
Reaffirming the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Dera Nnadi, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described AFRIDECS as far more than a security event.
“This goes beyond security,” DCG Nnadi said. “For us in the Nigeria Customs Service, it represents a major economic opportunity, a cultural gain and a platform to project the best of Nigeria to the international community.”
He assured the organisers of Customs’ readiness to play a critical facilitative and regulatory role, particularly in the temporary importation of exhibition equipment, while maintaining strict compliance with national security standards.
“We will ensure seamless Customs processes that facilitate legitimate trade without compromising regulatory and security requirements,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, commended DICON for initiating what he described as a bold and strategic exhibition with far-reaching implications for national security and economic development.
Bomodi noted that while the Nigeria Customs Service has extensive experience handling international exhibitions, AFRIDECS presents a unique challenge due to the sensitive nature of the items involved, which will largely consist of military hardware and defence equipment.
He disclosed that Customs would implement simplified and transparent temporary importation procedures, provided all regulatory requirements are met, stressing the need for advance notification, detailed documentation and End User Certificates to ensure accountability and compliance with both national and international regulations.