The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has recorded more than 6100 flying hours and 2900 sorties in support of national security operations between November 2025 and September 2026 as the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke approaches his first anniversary in office.
The Service also took delivery of five helicopters approved 284 infrastructure projects and expanded personnel training to strengthen operational effectiveness and modernise its fleet.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Aneke alongside other service chiefs on October 24 2025 and he assumed office as CAS on October 30 2025.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame disclosed these achievements in a statement on Sunday outlining the Service’s performance under Aneke’s leadership.
According to the statement the NAF consumed nearly 10 million litres of Jet A-1 aviation fuel during the period to support precision air strikes armed reconnaissance surveillance close air support and other missions.
It said the operations were designed to degrade hostile elements restrict their freedom of action and improve the effectiveness of surface forces.
The statement added that the Service had prioritised intelligence-led mission planning to ensure that every sortie served a defined operational purpose and contributed to national security.
‘Guided by his command philosophy of sustaining a highly motivated professional and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive airpower effects in synergy with surface forces the Service has pursued a focused transformation agenda anchored on operational effectiveness personnel welfare technological advancement and institutional accountability’ it said.
On fleet modernisation the NAF said it received five helicopters in September comprising three AW-109 Trekker Type B helicopters and two H125 helicopters to expand its operational flexibility and support capacity.
The Service is also pursuing the acquisition of 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters along with other aircraft and unmanned aerial systems to strengthen its combat airlift training intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Maintenance and fleet regeneration efforts have also progressed including the reactivation and upgrade of six L-39ZA aircraft in Slovakia and Nigeria as well as ongoing periodic depot maintenance of a C-130 aircraft in Portugal.
Regarding personnel development the NAF reported promoting 57 senior officers to Air Vice Marshal and Air Commodore.
It added that it also promoted 1534 senior non-commissioned officers and 1936 non-commissioned officers bringing the total number of personnel promoted across the three categories to 3527.
More than 550 personnel participated in international training and professional engagements while over 6000 received local training to improve their specialised competencies technical proficiency and leadership capacity.
The NAF also highlighted personnel welfare as a major component of Aneke’s leadership philosophy encapsulated in the principle of ‘Welfare for Enhanced Warfare.’
The statement said the Service had improved personnel allowances medical support and accommodation alongside infrastructure development to improve living and working conditions across its formations.
It added that the Service had reactivated welfare airlift services for personnel deployed in frontline operational theatres to boost morale and support operational readiness.
On infrastructure the NAF said it had approved 284 projects with 145 completed and 139 ongoing.
The projects cover residential accommodation academic and medical facilities administrative and operational infrastructure roads electricity water supply and recreational facilities.
The Service also disclosed efforts to strengthen aviation safety and accountability by establishing an Operational and Safety Audit Committee and improving its Safety Management System.
It said the measures were designed to support independent assessments of operational engineering and armament units promote proactive risk management and strengthen safety oversight.
The NAF is also advancing Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response initiatives through dedicated structures standardised training and improved assessment and investigation capabilities.
In addition plans are underway to establish an Open-Source Intelligence Centre to improve situational awareness and operational planning by better exploiting available information and emerging technologies.
On indigenous capability the Service said it had pursued local production initiatives involving Aircraft Release Device 863 impulse release cartridges and a 250-kilogram bomb-loading trolley alongside the development and ground testing of locally produced 57-millimetre rockets.
It added that community-focused healthcare educational and other special projects had continued to support civil-military relations and public confidence.
As Aneke approaches his first anniversary on October 30 the NAF said it remained focused on translating investments in personnel aircraft technology and infrastructure into improved operational results.
‘The objective is not simply to expand capability but to sustain a professional accountable and responsive force prepared for evolving threats’ the statement said.
It added that the Service’s commitment remained focused on ‘stronger airpower safer skies and a more secure Nigeria.’