• International publications will give professional audiences greater access to African capability requirements, industrial development and emerging technologies ahead of the inaugural Lagos exhibition.

The Africa International Defence Exhibition has announced a 26-strong Official Media Partnership Programme designed to expand international reporting and analysis of the defence and security priorities shaping Africa.

Led by Defense News as Platinum Media Partner, DefenceWeb as Strategic Partner and Military Africa as Gold Media Partner, the programme brings together specialist publications serving professional audiences across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas.

The network includes publications covering defence policy, military capability, procurement, aerospace, aviation, biometrics, cybersecurity, industrial development and emerging technology. Together, they will provide different regional and specialist perspectives on the issues represented at AFRIDEX 2026.
 
What the programme offers professional audiences
For defence and security professionals, the partnership programme will provide wider access to reporting on:
  • African capability development and modernisation priorities
  • Defence-industrial capacity and resilient supply chains
  • Training, operational readiness and interoperability
  • Procurement requirements and international cooperation pathways
  • Emerging technologies across Land, Maritime, Air, Cybersecurity and Space

For participating publications, AFRIDEX will provide a pipeline of original editorial material, including expert briefings, interview opportunities, data-led insights, event imagery and access to government, military and industry perspectives as confirmations are secured.

This will enable media partners to develop stories tailored to their own geographic markets and specialist readerships, extending the value of the programme beyond event promotion.

Exceptional support for an inaugural exhibition Securing this breadth and calibre of international specialist media support represents a significant achievement for the first edition of AFRIDEX.

The network combines globally recognised defence publications with established African, Middle Eastern, Asian, European, North American and Latin American titles. It also includes specialist publications focused on procurement, aerospace, aviation, biometrics and security technology.

Several partners bring substantial and highly targeted professional audiences. The official AFRIDEX partner profiles state that Biometric Update reaches 3.5 million annual readers, while Aerospace Defense Review reaches more than 45,000 qualified readers across the United States. These figures illustrate the programme’s ability to connect AFRIDEX with both broad international audiences and specialist decision-making communities.

Nick Ornstien, Vice President, dmg events, said:
  • “Securing this calibre of specialist media support for the inaugural edition of AFRIDEX is exceptional. Across our wider event portfolio, media networks of this depth are more commonly associated with established exhibitions that have spent several years building their profile, audience and industry relationships.
  • The significance extends beyond visibility for the exhibition. This programme will give defence and security professionals around the world more opportunities to understand the priorities, capabilities and innovations emerging from Africa. It will also give publications credible access to experts, perspectives and original stories that matter to their readers.
  • The support we have received reflects confidence in AFRIDEX and growing belief in Africa’s role as an increasingly important hub for defence and security capability, industrial cooperation and innovation.”

A timely platform for deeper reporting Defence and security organisations worldwide are responding to changing operational requirements, pressure on industrial capacity and supply chains, and the rapid development of technologies including autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and space-enabled services.

These developments create a need for accurate reporting that reflects African priorities, operating environments and capability requirements.

The Africa International Defence Exhibition will provide a structured platform through which publications can explore these subjects with government, armed forces, industry, technology providers and capability specialists.

Taking place from 26–29 October 2026 at Eko Atlantic, Lagos, Nigeria, the exhibition will convene stakeholders across the Land, Maritime, Air, Cybersecurity and Space domains. It will focus on capability development, interoperability, industrial and supply-chain resilience, training-led readiness and structured engagement.

Editorial opportunities for media
The AFRIDEX communications team will support journalists and Official Media Partners with:
  • Interviews with confirmed government, military and industry representatives
  • Operational-domain briefings and background materials
  • Data and research relating to African capability and industrial priorities
  • High-resolution photography, video and approved event assets
  • Access to onsite announcements, briefings and reporting opportunities
  • Introductions to relevant spokespeople and subject-matter specialists