By peterside Rejoice
The proposed budgetary allocation to the Nigerian Air Force has failed to secure the approval of the National Assembly, with lawmakers insisting that the funding level is grossly inadequate to address the country’s escalating security challenges.
Members of the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on the Nigerian Air Force rejected the proposal during a budget defence session in Abuja, expressing concern that the allocation would be insufficient to sustain air operations, maintain critical equipment, and provide effective aerial support for ongoing counter-insurgency and internal security operations nationwide.
The committee noted that at a time when Nigeria is battling insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and other security threats across several regions, the Air Force requires enhanced funding to maintain operational readiness and deploy its air assets efficiently.
Following deliberations, the Joint Committee resolved to establish a mini-committee tasked with engaging the Federal Government, the Budget Office of the Federation, and relevant legislative committees to review the proposed figures and develop a more realistic and sustainable funding framework for the Nigerian Air Force.
Speaking with journalists after the session, Chairman of the House Committee on the Air Force, Hon. Kabir Alhassan, said the revised budget proposal, once concluded, would be presented to the Joint Committee for consideration and approval.
According to him, the aim of the review is to strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigerian Air Force and ensure it is adequately equipped to discharge its constitutional responsibility of defending Nigeria’s airspace and supporting security operations across the country.
Hon. Alhassan also clarified issues surrounding the 2025 budget cycle, explaining that due to prevailing fiscal constraints, a portion of the capital component of the Air Force budget has been deferred to 2026. However, he stressed that even with the deferral, the overall funding level remains inadequate.
He emphasised that any funding eventually provided, particularly in 2026, must be sufficient to fully support the operational, maintenance, and strategic needs of the Air Force, warning that underfunding the service could undermine national security efforts.
The Joint Committee called on the Federal Government to cooperate fully with the ongoing review process, stressing that Nigerians urgently require decisive and adequately funded action to confront the nation’s security challenges.
The lawmakers reaffirmed the commitment of the National Assembly to ensuring that defence and security institutions are properly funded, adding that adequate financing remains critical to achieving peace, stability, and the protection of lives and property across the country.
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