General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, Commander of U.S. Africa Command, opened the second day of the Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 in Lagos on Tuesday, with a keynote on strengthening military cooperation and Africa’s security readiness.
His session, titled “From Strategic Complexity to Operational Cooperation,” examined how armed forces across the continent can respond to a changing global security environment through practical cooperation, improved preparedness and stronger operational capabilities. Discussions focused on interoperability, resilience against emerging threats, and the role of innovation in strengthening defence capability, with trusted, African-led partnerships identified as central to achieving lasting security outcomes.
The keynote opened a day of discussions among military leaders, policymakers and industry representatives at Eko Atlantic, under the theme “Advancing Africa’s Sovereign Security Capability Through Innovation and Industrial Growth.” The session, moderated by Major General Neil D. Sexton, Director at Quovis Consulting Ltd, focused on military cooperation, operational readiness and long-term partnerships built on shared priorities, mutual trust and sustainable capability development.
The discussions built on concerns raised at Monday’s opening ceremony by Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), who warned that security threats are now “hybrid in nature and fast-evolving across all domains of warfare.” Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat also stressed the need for cooperation beyond national borders, noting that “no single government can meet them alone.”
Other sessions addressed Africa’s immediate capability requirements, peacekeeping and multinational maritime cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea, examining the training, equipment support and partnerships needed to strengthen operational effectiveness. AFRIDEX Portfolio Director Odiri Umusu said the conference provided an opportunity to connect defence requirements with practical support and long-term partnerships.
Alongside the Strategic Conference, technical sessions covered ground-force readiness, local aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul, cyber defence, and autonomous systems for protecting critical infrastructure. The exhibition, organised by dmg events in partnership with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and backed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ministry of Defence, runs until October 29th at Eko Atlantic, Lagos.
AFRIDEX 2026 is designed to support capability development, interoperability and resilience through structured engagement across Land, Maritime, Air, Space and Cyber domains, connecting African governments and armed forces with defence manufacturers, technology providers and specialist suppliers. The exhibition’s broader programme covers security in the Gulf of Guinea, local production, counter-uncrewed aircraft systems, maritime operations and space applications.
For Africa, the challenge now is to turn the exhibition’s discussions into concrete partnerships and industrial investments that build sovereign security capability, with the continent’s defence future depending on innovation, local production and coordinated approaches to shared threats.
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