The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has stepped up efforts to improve its operational capacity through aircraft acquisitions, personnel training, infrastructure development and local production initiatives, as Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, approaches his first anniversary in office.
The Service disclosed that 284 infrastructure projects had been approved under its ongoing development efforts, with 145 completed and 139 still in progress.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, announced the developments in a statement on Sunday ahead of Aneke’s first anniversary on October 30.
The projects cover residential accommodation, educational and medical facilities, administrative buildings, operational infrastructure, roads, electricity, water supply and recreational amenities.
On fleet modernisation, Ejodame said the Air Force received five helicopters in September, comprising three AW-109 Trekker Type B helicopters and two H125 helicopters.
He added that plans were underway to acquire 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters and other aircraft and unmanned aerial systems to strengthen combat operations, airlift, training and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
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The Service is also working to restore and upgrade six L-39ZA aircraft in Slovakia and Nigeria, while a C-130 aircraft is undergoing periodic depot maintenance in Portugal.
To strengthen indigenous capacity, the NAF has pursued local production of Aircraft Release Device 863 impulse release cartridges, a 250-kilogramme bomb-loading trolley and locally manufactured 57-millimetre rockets, which have undergone development and ground testing.
Personnel development has also featured prominently in the Service’s plans. According to Ejodame, 57 senior officers were promoted to Air Vice Marshal and Air Commodore, while thousands of other personnel received promotions.
More than 550 personnel participated in international training and professional engagements, while over 6,000 received local training to improve technical skills and leadership capacity.
The Air Force also recorded over 6,100 flying hours and more than 2,900 sorties between November 2025 and September 2026, consuming nearly 10 million litres of aviation fuel in national security operations.
Ejodame said the investments were part of Aneke’s transformation agenda, which prioritises operational effectiveness, personnel welfare, technological advancement and institutional accountability.