WHERE DEFENCE AND SECURITY LEADERS SHAPE STRATEGY
The Defence Summit is the senior-level strategic programme of the Africa International Defence Exhibition, convening ministers, service chiefs, capability planners and defence industry leadership through structured, protocol-driven engagement, including closed-door roundtables and bilateral engagement corridors.
Across high-level keynotes, leadership panels and restricted-access dialogues, the Defence Summit examines readiness requirements and capability development across Land, Air, Maritime, Space and Cyber domains, translating strategy into cooperation pathways, industrial growth and lifecycle sustainment.
Participation and speaker announcements will be communicated in line with diplomatic and military protocol.
Africa total military expenditure in 2024.
Increase in Africa defence spending since 2015.
Share of global major arms imports (Africa, 2020-2024).
West Africa major arms imports growth (2020-2024 vs 2015-2019).
Increase in Africa military expenditure from 2022 to 2023.
SUMMIT THEMES
MULTI-DOMAIN RESILIENCE: OPERATING EFFECTIVELY IN AN ERA OF HYBRID & HIGH-TECH CONFLICT
Examining the operational requirements of industrial-tempo, multi-domain warfare, spanning unmanned systems and counter-UAS, electronic warfare and electromagnetic spectrum dominance, space-enabled ISR and long-range fires.
DEFENCE INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY, SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY & SOVEREIGN PRODUCTION
Strengthening partnerships that advance local manufacturing, technology transfer, munitions production and sustainment, building the industrial endurance and supply chain resilience underpinning long-term capability.
STRATEGIC STABILITY & GEOPOLITICAL ADAPTATION IN A FRAGMENTING WORLD
Addressing strategic alignment and cooperation frameworks in an increasingly multipolar security environment, shaped by burden-sharing, regional instability and evolving defence policy priorities.
HUMAN CAPITAL, TRAINING, READINESS & PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION
Accelerating readiness cycles through training modernisation, interoperable doctrine, joint planning and specialised skills development across UAV operations, electronic warfare and cyber resilience.INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE AFRICA INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE EXHIBITION?
Discover a protocol-driven defence and security platform at Eko Atlantic, Lagos, Nigeria, from 26–29 October 2026, designed for structured engagement, capability-led dialogue and multi-domain solutions spanning Land, Air, Maritime, Space and Cyber domains.
