The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has set an ambitious target of achieving 90 percent aircraft serviceability by the fourth quarter of 2025, as part of wide-ranging engineering reforms aimed at enhancing operational readiness and sustaining air power capabilities.
This was disclosed by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, during the opening of the 2025 Aircraft Engineering Conference held today at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja. The two-day conference, themed “Enhancing Aircraft Serviceability in the NAF through Strong Maintenance Culture and Strategic Partnerships,” brought together serving and retired aviation engineering professionals to explore strategies for improving fleet readiness.
Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized that mission success in modern air operations depends heavily on the availability and sustained performance of aircraft platforms. He described engineering excellence as central to NAF’s transformation agenda, noting that the Service has already achieved a 72 percent average serviceability rate through targeted investments in manpower development, spare parts acquisition, and predictive maintenance systems.
“We are determined to raise this to 90 percent by the last quarter of 2025,” he said. “This will be driven by digital documentation, improved ground support infrastructure, and stronger partnerships—both local and international.”
A key highlight of the event was the official launch of the Directorate of Aircraft Life Cycle Management (DALCM), a new body established to oversee aircraft health from induction to retirement. The CAS explained that DALCM will ensure that all future aircraft acquisitions are supported by structured, long-term maintenance and sustainment plans.
In his welcome remarks, Chief of Aircraft Engineering, Air Vice Marshal AI Amodu, commended the CAS for prioritizing the engineering branch. He charged participants to embrace innovation, noting that engineering personnel remain the “backbone of the Force.”
Day one of the conference featured technical presentations by Air Vice Marshal J. Laoye, who spoke on the importance of technical documentation in fostering a maintenance culture, and AVM MA Yakubu (Rtd), who emphasized leveraging both local and international partnerships to sustain operational effectiveness.
The conference continues tomorrow with further paper presentations and expert panel discussions, all geared toward building a smarter, stronger, and more resilient Nigerian Air Force aligned with national security goals.
LV