The Nigerian Air Force recorded more than 6,100 flying hours and 2,900 sorties between November 2025 and September 2026, using nearly 10 million litres of aviation fuel during security operations.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday ahead of the first anniversary of Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, on October 30.
Ejodame said the missions included precision air strikes, armed reconnaissance, surveillance and close air support. These operations aimed to weaken hostile groups, disrupt their movements and assist ground troops.
“Between November 2025 and September 2026, the NAF recorded over 6,100 flying hours and more than 2,900 sorties, consuming close to 10 million litres of Jet A-1 fuel in support of national security operations,” the statement said.
He added that intelligence-led planning guided the missions, with each operation based on actionable intelligence, clear objectives and assessments of results.
The spokesman said the achievements formed part of Aneke’s transformation agenda, which focuses on operational effectiveness, personnel welfare, technological progress and accountability.
Under the principle of “Welfare for Enhanced Warfare”, the service introduced measures to improve allowances, medical support and accommodation. It also restored welfare airlift services for personnel deployed to frontline operations.
Ejodame disclosed that 57 senior officers were promoted to Air Vice Marshal and Air Commodore. Another 1,534 senior non-commissioned officers and 1,936 non-commissioned officers also received promotions.
More than 550 personnel took part in international training and professional engagements, while over 6,000 received local training.
On fleet modernisation, the Nigerian Air Force received five helicopters in September: three AW-109 Trekker Type B helicopters and two H125 helicopters. It is also pursuing the acquisition of 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters.
Six L-39ZA aircraft are undergoing reactivation and upgrades in Slovakia and Nigeria, while maintenance work on a C-130 aircraft continues in Portugal.
The service approved 284 infrastructure projects, with 145 completed and 139 ongoing. These cover housing, healthcare, education, roads, electricity, water supply and operational facilities.
The NAF is also strengthening aviation safety, developing measures to prevent civilian harm and planning an Open-Source Intelligence Centre. Local production initiatives include aircraft release cartridges, a bomb-loading trolley and locally made 57mm rockets.
Ejodame said the service would continue investing in personnel, aircraft, training, technology and infrastructure to improve readiness and address Nigeria’s security challenges.
