Nigeria Localizes Production of Chinese Weapons with Norinco’s Help
Traditionally “pro-Western” Nigeria has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese company Norinco to launch localized production of ammunition and to modernize military equipment.
The South China Morning Post reported on this.
The agreement was signed during Nigerian Defense Minister Bello Matawalle’s visit to China in early May and covers the construction of ammunition production lines, maintenance, and modernization of military equipment, tank repairs, and engineering support.
The cooperation also includes the training of Nigerian military personnel and the deployment of Chinese specialists for technical support.
Although the official statement from Nigeria’s Ministry of Defense on May 6 did not name a specific Chinese company, a joint photo of the Nigerian and Chinese delegations released by the Ministry was taken with the Norinco logo in the background.
This agreement was preceded by a visit from a high-level Norinco delegation to Nigeria in March to discuss joint weapons production and technology transfer.
As noted by the media, this partnership marks another step in strengthening military cooperation between Nigeria and China. It was launched in the mid-2010s when Nigeria turned to Beijing after the Obama administration refused to supply the necessary weapons during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency. This shift represents a significant change in direction for Nigeria, which had traditionally relied on Western countries.
According to David Shinn, a China-Africa expert and professor at George Washington University, Nigeria seeks to control the sources of its ammunition and equipment supply, and localized production with China’s help is a way to achieve that goal.
“If the memorandum of understanding is implemented, it will be a significant step for Nigeria. China wants to expand its security cooperation and influence in Africa, and this is a serious move in that direction,” Shinn noted.
He added that China is taking advantage of the weakening of U.S.-Africa relations to strengthen its position. Norinco is already active across Africa, and this agreement will further solidify its presence on the continent.
Nigerian Defense Minister Matawalle noted that the partnership aims to go beyond Nigeria. It will provide military support to neighboring African countries and contribute to regional security and stability. The goal is to transform Nigeria into a hub for the production and maintenance of Chinese military equipment in West Africa.
Norinco is also active in other African countries — notably, it opened a regional sales office in Dakar (Senegal) in 2023, supplies armored vehicles to Côte d’Ivoire, and plans to establish a maintenance center there. An agreement with Uganda includes the production of drones and the creation of a comprehensive facility for their assembly, maintenance, and personnel training.
China has also become a key supplier of weapons and military equipment to the military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso after their relations with France and the U.S. deteriorated. The Chinese defense sector also has similar partnerships with Morocco and Algeria, which plan to launch submarine production with China’s assistance.
