Manufacturer catalog

Boko Haram

Boko Haram is a Nigeria-based non-state armed group whose weapons activity includes locally fabricated explosive devices, vehicle-borne explosive devices, and improvised rocket production documented by government, humanitarian, and defense-reporting sources.

1 weapons

The organization is not a conventional defense company. Public sources describe a clandestine armed group that combined captured weapons, illicitly obtained components, external training links, and local workshop production. The United Nations Security Council narrative summary says Boko Haram was founded in Maiduguri in 2002 and later gained knowledge on improvised explosive-device construction through ties with Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

Boko Haram connects to weapon records where sources attribute fabrication, preparation, or device production directly to the organization. Nigerian military reporting in 2015 described recovered workshop material from makeshift facilities used to manufacture explosives and rockets, while mine-action reporting documented victim-activated devices made by Boko Haram that functioned as anti-personnel or anti-vehicle mines.

improvised explosive devicesvehicle-borne improvised explosive deviceslocally fabricated rocket munitionsclandestine workshop production

Notable Systems

Improvised explosive device

Mine Action Review reported that many 2016-2017 incidents in northeast Nigeria appeared to involve victim-activated IEDs made by Boko Haram, functioning as anti-personnel or anti-vehicle mines.

Sources: Mine Action Review Nigeria contamination profile, National Counterterrorism Center group profile

Vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED)

Vehicle-borne improvised explosive device

NCTC describes Boko Haram's growing operational capability as including vehicle-borne IEDs, and CFR reporting later described ISWAP up-armored suicide VBIED production in Nigeria.

Sources: National Counterterrorism Center group profile, Up-Armored SVBIEDs Make Their Way to Nigeria

Improvised rocket

Improvised unguided rocket munition

Nigerian military reporting described makeshift Boko Haram sites used to manufacture explosives and rockets, with locally made rocket shells, chemicals, and technical equipment recovered.

Sources: Military destroys Boko Haram's bomb, rocket making factory, Nigerian army destroys Boko Haram's rocket factory

Manufacturer History

2002
Founded in Maiduguri
The UN Security Council narrative summary says Jama'atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda'Awati Wal-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, was founded in Maiduguri, Nigeria, by Mohammed Yusuf.
Sources: UN Security Council narrative summary
2014-05-22
UN sanctions listing records IED knowledge transfer
The UN sanctions narrative listed Boko Haram and stated that the group had gained valuable knowledge on improvised explosive-device construction from Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.
Sources: UN Security Council narrative summary
2015-11-16
Makeshift bomb and rocket factory reported
The Guardian Nigeria reported Nigerian military claims that troops destroyed a makeshift Boko Haram factory used to manufacture explosives and rockets near Bama and recovered locally made rocket shells, unprimed IEDs, chemicals, and workshop equipment.
Sources: Military destroys Boko Haram's bomb, rocket making factory

Website links

UN Security Council narrative summary National Counterterrorism Center group profile Mine Action Review Nigeria contamination profile Guardian Nigeria report on bomb and rocket factory

Boko Haram is a clandestine, sanctioned armed group rather than an incorporated defense manufacturer. Reliable public sources do not establish a conventional headquarters, coordinates, or official company website; the UN sanctions narrative is the most authoritative stable public identity page used here.

Manufacturer Sources

UN Security Council narrative summaryPublisher: United Nations Security Council | Note: Supports identity, founding location and date, sanctions status, aliases, regional structure, and the statement that Boko Haram gained knowledge on IED construction from AQIM. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
National Counterterrorism Center group profilePublisher: National Counterterrorism Center | Note: Supports organizational background and the description of Boko Haram's increasing use of IEDs and VBIEDs. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
Mine Action Review Nigeria contamination profilePublisher: Mine Action Review | Note: Supports the description of victim-activated IEDs made by Boko Haram and their anti-personnel or anti-vehicle mine function. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
Military destroys Boko Haram's bomb, rocket making factoryPublisher: The Guardian Nigeria | Note: Supports manufacturer and technical context for a makeshift Boko Haram facility reportedly used to manufacture explosives and rockets. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
Nigerian army destroys Boko Haram's rocket factoryPublisher: Global Times / Xinhua | Note: Supports the Nigerian army account that Boko Haram had a rocket factory and fabricated rockets and launchers with rudimentary materials. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
Up-Armored SVBIEDs Make Their Way to NigeriaPublisher: Council on Foreign Relations | Note: Supports background and technical context for ISWAP up-armored suicide vehicle-borne IED production in Nigeria, relevant to the Boko Haram/ISWAP organizational split and shared Lake Chad theater fabrication lineage. | Accessed: 2026-07-11

Produced weapons

Improvised rocket, Improvised unguided rocket munition, Munitions

2009 Boko Haram InsurgencyImprovised rocketImprovised unguided rocket munitionBuilt in: NigeriaImprovised rockets in the 2009 Boko Haram Insurgency were locally fabricated or adapted 122 mm munitions used for insurgent standoff attacks in northeast Nigeria. Reporting from 2015 documented a Boko Haram rocket-making site near Bama with locally made rocket shells, while later HumAngle coverage described ISWAP firing captured Grad rockets from an improvised pickup-mounted launcher against Buni Yadi.