The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has attributed the increment in the country’s oil production to sustained air operations in collaboration with other security agencies.
Delivering a lecture titled “Military Strategic Leadership in Air Operations: My Perspective” to participants of Course 11/2025 at the Air Force War College (AFWC), Makurdi, on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, the Air Chief cited recent data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, which indicates a 13% increase in crude oil and condensate production in Q4 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, an outcome directly linked to the targeted investment by the administration of President Bola Tinubu, which has significantly bolstered the operational capabilities of the NAF.
Highlighting the federal government’s tangible impact on the country’s ongoing counterinsurgency and national security operations, Abubakar said the recent delivery of 9 brand-new aircrafts has added critical capabilities to NAF’s fleet, enabling more precise and sustained operations across various theatres.
“These platforms are already making a measurable impact in key operations geared towards enhancing national security,” he stated.
Air Marshal Abubakar revealed that the NAF is expecting an additional 49 aircrafts, with several scheduled for delivery in the coming months. These acquisitions, he said, will further expand the Service’s capacity to execute complex missions and maintain momentum in ongoing air operations.
Giving an overview of operational achievements, the CAS disclosed that in the past year alone, the NAF has flown over 4,500 hours across 2,304 sorties, executing nearly 2,000 counterinsurgency missions. Additionally, over 2,600 anti-banditry sorties were carried out, resulting in 4,670 hours of flight time.
In support of efforts to combat economic sabotage, the NAF conducted 366 sorties targeting crude oil theft and illegal refining, amassing more than 1,450 hours of flight time. He averred that the figures are not mere statistics, but represent “real missions, real risks, and real outcomes.”
He reported that between June 2023 and the present, over 3,496 terrorists were neutralized in the Northeast alone, with more than 121,000 insurgents and their families surrendering to security forces.
On the economic front, Air Marshal Abubakar noted the significant contribution of air operations under Operation DELTA SAFE, which has,
through the strategic deployment of both kinetic and non-kinetic air power, disrupted oil theft syndicates and secured critical infrastructure.
Concluding his address, the CAS urged the next generation of Air Force leaders to embrace the challenges of strategic command.
“You are the future of air power in Nigeria. Your leadership, professionalism, and resolve will shape the Air Force’s ability to respond to present and future security challenges”, he said.
