DICON, Oida Energy Sign Landmark MoU to Establish Nigeria’s First Oilfield Shaped Charge Facility

The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Oida Energy Limited to establish Nigeria’s first in-country oilfield shaped charge manufacturing facility. The signing ceremony took place in Abuja on Tuesday, 16 September 2025.

statement signed by the Acting Public Relations Officer Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, LT. Amen Zingzhi noted that,

The partnership marks a major step towards reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported oilfield explosive technologies while boosting indigenous industrial capacity. Once operational, the facility will deliver safe and reliable shaped charges for upstream petroleum operations, enhance technology transfer, and build local technical expertise.

In addition to strengthening Nigeria’s defence-industrial base, the project is expected to generate jobs, create skills development opportunities, and save foreign exchange by cutting import reliance.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of DICON, Maj Gen BI Alaya, described the collaboration as a “critical step towards building indigenous capacity in sensitive and strategic industrial technologies.”

Also present was the CEO/MD of Oida Energy Limited, Engr Emeka Ene, who reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering world-class standards in local manufacturing to support Nigeria’s energy and security needs.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by representatives of the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), officials of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and senior directors and officers from both organisations.

Both NUPRC and ONSA commended the initiative, stressing its alignment with government policies on local content, national security, and industrial development.

This landmark partnership demonstrates the power of public–private collaboration in driving national industrialisation and represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s quest for self-reliance in critical energy and defence technologies.