How the Nigerian Air Force is Consolidating Strategic Air Dominance through Power, Precision and Protection

Anchored on a command philosophy to enhance and sustain a highly motivated, professional and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive airpower effects in synergy with surface forces for the realisation of national security objectives, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke’s leadership is increasingly reflected in the Nigerian Air Force’s elevated operational tempo, sharpened strategic posture and growing international recognition. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that at the heart of this momentum is Nigeria’s airpower, now widely acknowledged as a critical instrument in counter-insurgency, regional security and peace support efforts, driven by the professionalism, resilience and commitment of NAF personnel under his command

When Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke was appointed as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on October 24, 2025 and he took over officially from Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar on October 30, 2025, he made a pledge through his Command Philosophy to “enhance and sustain a highly motivated, professional, and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive airpower effects in synergy with surface forces for the realisation of national security objectives”.

Three months down the line, that pledge is increasingly evident in the Nigerian Air Force’s operational tempo, strategic posture and growing international recognition.

Therefore, when the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michał Cygan, recently described Nigeria as a stabilising force in West Africa, citing the decisive role of the Nigerian Armed Forces, particularly the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the remark reflected more than diplomatic courtesy, rather it underscored the growing international recognition of Nigeria’s airpower as a critical instrument in counter-insurgency, regional security and peace support efforts.

At the centre of this momentum are the professionalism, resilience and dogged commitment of NAF personnel, reinforced under the leadership of Air Marshal Sunday Aneke. As Ambassador Cygan noted, Nigeria’s sustained security engagements and strategic position continue to contribute significantly to regional stability, opening pathways for deeper bilateral defence cooperation.

The NAF’s renewed operational edge is closely tied to an ambitious fleet modernisation drive. This was exemplified by the CAS’s high-level engagement with Leonardo Aircraft Division in Milan, Italy, between 19 and 20 January 2025, focusing on the M-346 fighter ground attack aircraft programme.

Air Marshal Aneke described the programme as a critical leap in renewing the NAF’s combat capability, with the platform expected to enhance precision strike operations, improve training outcomes and reinforce Nigeria’s regional deterrence posture.

According to Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, the engagement, undertaken alongside Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Defence and Finance and other senior officials, reflected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s prioritisation of airpower modernisation and defence industrial cooperation.

Beyond fixed-wing aircraft, he said the CAS also assessed Leonardo’s helicopter capabilities, commending the performance of platforms such as the AW-109 Trekker Type B, which continue to play vital roles in counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and internal security operations. Emphasis was placed on synchronised delivery, structured training and sustainment support to ensure rapid operational readiness.

The NAF’s operational resurgence has been most evident in the intensity and precision of recent air campaigns. The cumulative impact of sustained air operations was evident in 2025. The NAF neutralised 2,351 terrorists through 274 Air Interdiction missions, flown in 379 combat sorties, accumulating approximately 800 flight hours. Beyond kinetic effects, operations disrupted supply chains, degraded leadership structures and enabled ground forces to reclaim contested areas.

In the Niger Delta, precision air operations destroyed hundreds of illegal refining reservoirs, 126 storage tanks, and several boats used by oil thieves, contributing to improved oil production and national economic resilience.

In Katsina State, aircraft executed two coordinated strikes on November 27, 2025 under Operation FASAN YAMMA Sector 2. The first strike, launched at about 0630 hours, targeted the fortified base of a notorious terrorist kingpin linked to kidnappings and violent attacks across Kankara, Faskari and Malumfashi LGAs. Guided by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), the camp was destroyed, with follow-on engagements conducted as fighters attempted to flee.

A second strike at about 1755 hours hit another terrorist enclave in Danfako, Faskari LGA, destroying logistics hubs and operational infrastructure. In the North-East, NAF aircraft conducted four major strikes to repel a coordinated ISWAP/Boko Haram attack on Chibok, inflicting significant losses and preventing regrouping through integrated air–ground operations.

On December 14, 2025, the NAF executed a precision Air Interdiction mission at Dabar Masara in the Southern Tumbuns. Acting on credible intelligence, ISR missions revealed sustained terrorist movement and vehicles concealed under vegetation. Following positive identification, the targets were engaged, with post-strike assessments confirming the destruction of vehicles and neutralisation of terrorist elements.

Between 1 and 2 January 2026, the NAF sustained pressure across the North-East and North-West under Operations HADIN KAI and FASAN YAMMA Sector 2. Precision strikes at Abirma, Chiralia, Guva and Karaduwa Giginya Na dismantled hideouts, destroyed weapons and motorcycles, and denied terrorists freedom of movement.

Also, on January 8, 2026, further strikes at AbbagaJiri in the Timbuktu Triangle cleared the way for ground forces, with structures destroyed and armed elements neutralised.

Under Air Marshal Aneke, strategic international partnerships have remained a force multiplier. The NAF continues to leverage defence diplomacy to enhance operational effectiveness, capacity development and information exchange. This approach was reinforced during the CAS-led Programme Management Review in the United States from 5 to 6 January 2026, aimed at accelerating the delivery of 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters, strengthening combat capability and bilateral defence cooperation.

Beyond operations, the NAF has invested in intellectual and technological engagement through the Chief of the Air Staff Literary Competition, launched on November 21, 2025 and running until 28 February 2026. With categories in Essay, Art and Poetry, and the theme “Optimising Emerging Technologies for Enhanced Air Operations,” the initiative promotes youth advocacy, innovation and civil–military relations.

The CAS’s leadership has also emphasised welfare and accountability. On 25 December 2025, he marked Christmas with frontline personnel across operational theatres in Kainji, Katsina, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt, Makurdi, Kaduna and Enugu, reinforcing morale and recognising troop sacrifices.

In sustaining civil–military trust, the NAF compensated victims of the December 25, 2024 accidental air strike in Silame LGA, Sokoto State, confirming 13 civilian fatalities and eight injuries, while institutionalising the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan to prevent recurrence.

For the battlefield, the graduation of 1,296 recruits from Basic Military Training Course 45/2025 on 20 December 2025 strengthened the NAF’s manpower base, aligning with the CAS’s Command Philosophy of building a highly motivated, professional and mission-ready force. Complementing this were operational visits to Air Training Command, Kaduna, and Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, reinforcing welfare-driven warfare, readiness and discipline.

And beyond the battlefield, through CAS Special Intervention Projects in Delta and Kwara States, the NAF delivered community infrastructure, medical outreach, upgraded educational facilities and an Advanced Space Composite Laboratory at the University of Ilorin, alongside a 700-metre access road. Partnerships with UBEC and engagements with NHRC, NAPTIP and the DPP further reinforced safe schools, accountability and smart operations.

From precision air strikes and fleet renewal to diplomacy, youth engagement and community development, the Nigerian Air Force under Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke is consolidating its role as a stabilising force within Nigeria and across the region by delivering security with professionalism, restraint and strategic clarity, all anchored on his command philosophy.