NAF burns 10m litres fuel on 2,900 security missions in 11 months
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it consumed nearly 10 million litres of aviation fuel and recorded more than 6,100 flying hours and 2,900 sorties in support of national security operations between November 2025 and September 2026. The figures were contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, ahead of the first anniversary of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, on October 30.
According to the statement, the operations involved close air support aimed at degrading hostile elements, strengthening the effectiveness of ground forces, precision air strikes, armed reconnaissance, and surveillance. “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.
“These missions encompassed precision air strikes, armed reconnaissance, surveillance, close air support and other tasks designed to degrade hostile elements, disrupt their freedom of action and enhance the effectiveness of surface forces. “Central to this effort has been intelligence-led mission planning, with operations guided by actionable intelligence, defined objectives and assessments of mission outcomes,” the statement said.
He added that the focus was to ensure that every sortie served a clear operational purpose and contributed meaningfully to national security. Ejodame said the operational gains formed part of Aneke’s transformation agenda, which focused on operational effectiveness, personnel welfare, technological advancement and institutional accountability. Ejodame further disclosed that six L-39ZA aircraft were undergoing reactivation and upgrades in Slovakia and Nigeria, while the periodic depot maintenance of a C-130 aircraft was ongoing in Portugal.
