HAVELSAN is using the Africa Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 in Lagos to pitch border surveillance, coastal surveillance and maritime traffic management systems to Nigeria, along with video analytics for the cities of Lagos and Abuja. The Turkish defence software and systems company is exhibiting at Booth 2117 in the Türkiye Pavilion at the show, which runs from 26 to 29 October at Eko Atlantic.
The pitch builds on systems HAVELSAN has already sold to Nigeria, which include its ADVENT combat management system, the BAHA unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and shooting simulators. Among those simulators are two 10-lane shooting systems supplied to the Nigerian Army, which HAVELSAN lists among its existing Nigerian references.
ADVENT reached the Nigerian Navy through a warship project signed by another Turkish company in June 2023, making Nigeria the seventh export customer for the combat management system. BAHA was also supplied through another Turkish firm’s project, and HAVELSAN said at the time that it planned to offer ATAK helicopter simulators as Nigeria’s T129 fleet grew.
Şevket Ünal, HAVELSAN’s Vice President for International Business Development and Marketing, said the company is discussing further solutions with Nigeria’s armed forces and has a simulation project under way with a training institution in Abuja. Ünal noted that HAVELSAN is affiliated with the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and said the company wants long-term local partners in Nigeria for its next phase of work in the country.
On the show floor, HAVELSAN is displaying the ADVENT combat management system, the DOOB command and control (C2) system, the MATRA coastal surveillance and vessel traffic system and its Digital Troops concept. MATRA covers the coastal surveillance and vessel traffic roles in Ünal’s pitch, while ADVENT is already in Nigerian service.
The simulation side of the display covers shooting, sniper, tank, armoured vehicle, parachute and urban operations training, alongside electronic warfare (EW) ranges and wargaming tools. HAVELSAN’s Abuja project, a simulation effort with a Nigerian training institution, adds a local training program to the company’s existing Nigerian Army work.
Ünal also joined an AFRIDEX panel on 28 October titled “From Partnership to Production – Advancing Türkiye–Nigeria Defence Industry Cooperation”. He outlined border surveillance, coastal surveillance, maritime traffic management and city video analytics as the areas where HAVELSAN wants Nigerian partners for long-term collaboration.
HAVELSAN has pursued similar arrangements elsewhere in Africa, having signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) to co-produce autonomous UAVs for the African market. The company also promoted joint defence production and technology transfer with African partners at the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) 2025.
Nigeria has used AFRIDEX to court foreign defence investors and present Lagos as a gateway to Africa’s defence market. Defence Minister Christopher Musa told the event that local production of defence equipment will begin within the next year, with foreign firms invited to invest in Nigerian capacity.
HAVELSAN’s push coincides with wider Turkish activity in Nigeria’s procurement plans. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has listed 12 Aksungur drones and six more T129 ATAK attack helicopters from Turkish Aerospace among up to 67 aircraft it expects to receive, alongside Italian, US, European and Chinese types.
