Defence Minister Defends ₦5.41tn Budget: “Warfare Is Expensive”

Nigeria’s defence minister says ₦5.41 trillion for defence and security in the 2026 budget may look large, but modern warfare can quickly consume such funds.

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One Tomahawk missile that was fired costs $3.2 million. One drone precision bomb, at the least, costs $100,000.

Gen. Christopher Musa, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, cited the cost of sophisticated weapons. He said a Tomahawk missile costs $3.2 million, while a basic precision bomb used by a drone costs $100,000. Naval operations also require substantial spending, he said, with ships able to consume fuel carried by as many as 20 trailers during a five-hour operation.

The allocation also covers military personnel compensation, Musa said. He compared Nigeria’s spending with the much larger sums sought by U.S. President Donald Trump for defence, while noting that the United States produces its own equipment.

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When you divide 5 point something trillion into dollars, what can you buy? Maybe you can buy a few things.

Musa said Nigeria is trying to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers by expanding domestic defence manufacturing. The country now produces Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carriers, while work continues on drones. He named TERA and EPL among companies supporting the effort and said additional firms were entering the sector.

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We now produce MRAPs in Nigeria, APCs in Nigeria. We are building our drones.

The minister added that the government is developing an air-defence system to improve Nigeria’s ability to protect its territory. President Bola Tinubu signed the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law on April 17, authorising the spending.

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We are working on our air defense system so that we make sure that our air defense is really iron-tight.