Taking place from 26 to 29 October 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, for the first time, the Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) promises to bring together government decision makers, senior military leaders, and international defence companies in a truly pan African, multi domain platform.
The organisers said that what sets AFRIDEX apart is its clear focus on the whole of Africa, not a single region or market, bringing together official delegations from across the continent under one platform, spanning land, maritime, air, space, and cyber domains.
“At its core, AFRIDEX is designed as a commercial gateway for international organisations looking to buy from, sell to, and partner with Africa. The event places a strong emphasis on enabling direct engagement with verified African buyers and procurement decision makers, creating an environment focused on real business outcomes,” the organisers said.
“As Africa’s role in global defence continues to expand, AFRIDEX provides a vital platform for international industry to connect with one of the world’s fastest growing and most strategically important defence markets.”
Event organisers pointed out that Africa’s growing importance is underpinned by its vast reserves of critical minerals, including cobalt, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements, which are essential to advanced weapon systems, semiconductors, and energy systems. At the same time, countries across the continent are advancing defence industrialisation and investing in infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology to support long term capability development.
Market momentum is clear. Defence spending across Africa now exceeds $50 billion annually, with the wider Middle East and Africa defence market projected to grow from $73.4 billion in 2026 to $109.4 billion by 2031. This expansion is being driven by governments responding to evolving security pressures and by buyers prioritising practical, mission ready capability.
In 2026, procurement-led modernisation is a defining trend, with higher budgets increasingly being channelled into equipment, platforms, and capability upgrades rather than personnel. At the same time, a growing gap between spending and real world capability is placing pressure on buyers to invest in solutions that deliver measurable operational impact, not just high profile platforms alone, AFRIDEX organisers emphasised.
Investment is also shifting towards technology driven capability, including surveillance systems, unmanned platforms, and C4ISR. For example, Nigeria alone is investing billions into AI enabled surveillance and command systems, reflecting a broader move towards integrated, data driven defence capability across the continent.
Across Africa, counter terrorism, border security, and internal stability remain the primary drivers of defence procurement decisions, shaping both immediate requirements and long-term capability development strategies.
AFRIDEX supports capability development, interoperability, and resilience across all domains, while enabling engagement across the full defence supply chain, from innovation and integration to sustainment, logistics, and lifecycle support, organisers said.
“While AFRIDEX includes a high-level Defence Summit on Day One, bringing together ministers, service chiefs, and senior leaders for strategic dialogue, the core value of the event lies in the quality and intent of its attendees, particularly the buyers being brought in from across Africa. This ensures that conversations move beyond discussion and into tangible commercial opportunities and long-term partnerships.”
“The Africa International Defence Exhibition, AFRIDEX, is more than an exhibition; it is a gateway to Africa’s defence future. By bringing together official delegations from across the continent with international industry, AFRIDEX enables real engagement, real conversations, and real outcomes,” said Nick Ornstien, Vice President, AFRIDEX.
