When the Nigerian Air Force celebrated its 60th anniversary in May 2024, its spokesperson declared it was set to become the third largest air force in Africa within the next two years. This is based on the massive procurement and delivery of air assets and the capacity building programme of the force in recent years.
The expansion of the fleet comes at a critical time. The global terrorism index recently described the Sahel region of west Africa as the new epicentre of terrorism. Security analysts Samuel Oyewole, Francis Okpaleke and Oluwole Ojewale share their insights on the role of the Nigerian Air Force in the country’s security and regional power projection.
What capabilities does Nigeria’s air force have? How does it compare with others on the continent?
