Meet CEOs/Founders supporting Nigeria’s N4.91 trillion defence industry

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Nigeria’s economy is increasingly defined by the twin pressures of growth and insecurity.

Defence and security remain central to national priorities, commanding one of the largest budget allocations in recent years.

In 2024, the Federal Government earmarked N3.85 trillion ($5.13 billion) for defence, nearly 13.4% of total spending and almost 38% higher than 2023.

And by 2025, it budgeted N4.91 trillion for defence and security. Yet despite the rising allocations, the country remains heavily reliant on foreign arms.

Official data shows Nigeria imported N26.95 billion worth of weapons in the first half of 2025 alone, more than double the N11.76 billion recorded in the same period of 2024.

Between 2022 and 2023, imports surged by over 400%, showing the gaps in local defence capacity.

Those gaps have created space for a growing class of Nigerian defence contractors.

Local firms are beginning to position themselves across the defence and security value chain, supplying products and services that range from protective equipment and training systems to surveillance technology and cybersecurity solutions.

As insecurity continues to shape political debate and economic outcomes, these contractors are emerging as increasingly consequential players seeking to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign suppliers while competing for a share of one of the government’s most strategic spending priorities.

Ade Ogundeyin: CEO Proforce 

Ade Ogundeyin, founder of Proforce Defence Limited, is one of Nigeria’s foremost defence industry pioneers.

A graduate of the University of Lagos with a BSc degree, he also serves as Group Managing Director of O’la-Kleen Holdings Limited, a diversified conglomerate with an international footprint in the US, Kuwait, China, Ghana, and Liberia. Under his leadership, O’la-Kleen has expanded over 25 years into multiple sectors, culminating in the establishment of Proforce in 2008.

• It is Nigeria’s first indigenous defence manufacturing company and West Africa’s only total defence provider.
•  The company employs 100% local technicians across bases in Nigeria, Dubai, and India, and has supplied 500+ products to over 300 clients, including the governments of Nigeria, Chad, and Rwanda.

ISO 9001:2015 certified, Proforce manufactures armoured vehicles, protective gear, and military-grade systems. Through its subsidiary, Proforce Galaxies, it recently partnered with the National Space Research and Development Agency to launch satellites aimed at strengthening national security and maritime surveillance.

Agbo Shedrach – Co-founder/CEO, Imperium Nigeria 

Agbo Shedrach, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder of Imperium Industries, is a recognized figure in Nigeria’s defence technology sector. 

• With years of experience as a consultant on armored vehicle design, he notably contributed to the development of the EZUGWU Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.
• In January 2025, Shedrach personally pitched Imperium’s capabilities to President Bola Tinubu, presenting the company’s growing role in supporting Nigeria’s defence architecture through indigenous production of armored vehicles.

Andrew Abu, co-founder and Executive Director for Business Development and IT, brings expertise in product development, social innovation, and strategic partnerships.

Imperium Industries Nigeria Limited is a privately owned world-leading armored vehicle manufacturer. Recognized globally for trust and reliability, the company delivers cutting-edge, turnkey defense and security solutions.

Beyond armored vehicles, Imperium provides end-to-end services in construction, maintenance, and troubleshooting of both wireless and wireline systems.

Sylvanus Ghasarha — Founder Solar Nigachem Limited 

Engr. Sylvanus Ghasarah, a trained mining engineer, founded Nigachem (now Solar Nigachem) in 1987 and has since steered the company into Nigeria’s leading explosives and blasting-technology supplier.

• With more than three decades of experience, Ghasarah has advised government agencies on explosives policy and holds industry recognition, including a fellowship of the Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers and an honorary doctorate.
• His technical background and early retirement from salaried work allowed him to concentrate on building local manufacturing capacity for civil explosives.

Solar Nigachem is a specialist manufacturer of explosives for mining, construction and infrastructure projects.

The company moved from importation to local production after a 2008 joint venture with Solar Industries India, and today emphasises research, safety and environmentally conscious formulations.

Its factory in Ogun State produces cartridges and bulk explosives to international standards.

Under CEO Shireesh Chaturvedi, Solar Nigachem markets next-generation blasting materials and positions itself on reliability, quality control and compliance, serving large-scale industrial clients across Nigeria’s extractive and infrastructure sectors.

Kola Balogun- CEO Epail Nigeria 

Kola Balogun, the Chairman and CEO of MOMAS-EPAIL, stands at the forefront of Nigeria’s defense manufacturing revolution.

Known for his entrepreneurial foresight, Balogun has built a reputation for driving indigenous technology development across the energy and defense sectors.

• His leadership emphasizes innovation, local capacity building, and strategic partnerships aimed at positioning Nigeria as a reliable hub for security solutions. Through EPAIL, he has championed collaborations with key national institutions, including the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), while also aligning with global partners to strengthen the country’s defense ecosystem.

EPAIL itself has carved a niche as Nigeria’s first ballistic manufacturer, pioneering the local production of bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets, and related defense equipment. With a dedicated research and development team, the company focuses on advancing homegrown solutions that safeguard lives, assets, and infrastructure nationwide.

Its operations extend across all 36 states, with clients ranging from government agencies to industrial giants and SMEs. In 2021, EPAIL’s credibility was reinforced when the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, toured its Mowe factory for a live shooting test.

Ayo Omotoriogun — CEO, Buckler Land Systems Limited 

Olatunji Ayo Omotoriogun is a counterterrorism consultant, military vehicle engineer, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in defense innovation.

A graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Lagos, he also holds postgraduate degrees in military vehicle technology and counterterrorism from Cranfield University, UK.

• He is a Chevening Alumnus and member of the Association of Security Consultants (UK) and the Association of the United States Army (USA).
• He is widely recognized for leading the Nigerian engineering team that produced Sub-Saharan Africa’s first Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle for the Nigerian Army.

Buckler Land Systems, is a Nigerian military equipment manufacturer specializing in armoured vehicles, architectural armouring, and defence solutions. Recently, Buckler signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) for joint production of military hardware.

The partnership also supports African exports and coincides with Buckler’s new 180,000 sq ft industrial complex.

Monsuru Anifowoshe — Founder & CEO, Kifta Technologies 

Monsuru Anifowoshe is a defence entrepreneur and aerospace systems strategist with a background in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos and an MBA in Finance from the University of Maine Business School.

• With experience spanning defence technology, maritime assets, and aerospace finance, he has worked at the intersection of innovation and strategy, including consulting roles with NASA and building initiatives that open up pathways for underrepresented groups in aerospace and defence.
• His work focuses on bridging advanced defence technologies with scalable business models that meet both national security and commercial demands.
• Founded in 2018, Kifta Technologies emerged from Anifowoshe’s personal challenge of securing goods in transit for his textile business. The company’s first UAV prototype cost $450,000 and took three years to develop.

Today, Kifta produces UAVs for border surveillance, naval operations, and firefighting, alongside smart glasses with facial and license plate recognition. While targeting foreign clients, Kifta plans to build a Nigerian manufacturing base.

 Nathan Nwachuku & Maxwell Maduka – Founders TerraHaptix 

In their early 20s, Nathan Nwachukwu and Maxwell Maduka have built reputations as some of Nigeria’s most promising young innovators in defence technology.

• Nwachukwu, co-founder and CEO, began his entrepreneurial journey at 15. He dropped out of a software engineering degree program at Carleton University, Canada, during the pandemic to focus on building companies. One of his ventures has already attracted $1 million in VC funding.
• Maduka’s path is equally striking. He served as a lead drone engineer with the Nigerian Navy before founding Spatial Nova, a micro-drone company acquired by Nord Motors in 2022. His technical expertise in autonomous systems is now central to TerraHaptix’s mission.

Earlier, both founders raised $11.75 million in funding. The funding round was led by U.S. venture capital firm 8VC, founded by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, with participation from Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, Leblon Capital, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, and angel investor Micky Malka.

Founded in Lagos, TerraHaptix specializes in AI-powered autonomous security systems. The company recently outbid an Israeli competitor to win a $1.2 million contract with Nethawk Solutions, deploying drones and solar-powered sentry towers to secure hydroelectric power plants in Nigeria.

Operating from a 15,000-square-foot facility in Abuja, TerraHaptix already serves clients in Ghana, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa, with 75% of sales outside Nigeria.

Bem Ibrahim Garba-CEO DICON Gray Insignia 

Bem Ibrahim Garba is a Nigerian maritime and defence industry executive. He is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DICON Gray Insignia (DGI), a defence manufacturing and contracting firm involved in the production of small and light weapons for military, law-enforcement and paramilitary agencies in Nigeria and the region.

• Garba is also the founder and CEO of the GOG Group, a privately held group of companies with interests spanning shipping, marine logistics, defence contracting and consultancy. The group’s operating units include GOG Marine, GOG Tankers, GOG Express and Gray Insignia.
• In April 2024, Garba was elected Chairman of the Training and Capacity Building Committee of the Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), where he works on workforce development and skills enhancement within the country’s maritime sector.

He has more than nine years of experience leading businesses operating at the intersection of maritime logistics, security services and defence manufacturing, with a focus on operations, risk management and strategic planning.

His work has included partnerships with public and private stakeholders across Nigeria’s shipping, oil and gas, and security ecosystems.

Garba holds an Executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics from Copenhagen Business School and a Certificate in Shipping Business from Lloyd’s Maritime Academy. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria.