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NAF To Exceed 30,000 Personnel In 2030, Says CAS

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has revealed that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is projected to exceed 30,000 personnel by 2030, highlighting an 86% increase in its workforce over the past 13 months.

Speaking at the NAF Administration and Personnel Seminar 2025, themed “Optimising Contemporary HR to Enhance Ongoing Transformation Initiatives of the NAF,” CAS Abubakar assured Nigerians of the Air Force’s unwavering commitment to national security and the defeat of terrorism and banditry in the country.

“Our relentless operations against criminal elements reaffirm our determination to protect innocent lives and restore peace across the nation,” Abubakar said, emphasizing that airpower would play a pivotal role in delivering justice to criminals, especially those hiding in ungoverned spaces.

The Air Chief disclosed that the NAF has experienced significant growth in its personnel, especially between 2017 and 2020, with the number of airmen and airwomen doubling since 2013. Currently, the officer-to-airmen ratio stands at 1:6, and under his leadership, over 530 officers and about 2,300 airmen have been commissioned and recruited.

“By 2027, the NAF is projected to exceed 30,000 personnel,” he said, underscoring the need for modern, computerized Human Resource Management and proactive administration to keep pace with this expansion.

Abubakar noted that the rapid growth also called for improvements in career management, personnel record keeping, performance evaluation, accommodation, healthcare, and welfare incentives to maintain operational readiness, job satisfaction, and high morale.

He stressed that effective personnel management and a sound administrative foundation are critical to the success of military operations. “A well-managed workforce ensures the right skills are available at the right time and place to achieve mission objectives,” he said, adding that the Air Force’s effectiveness hinges on a strong administrative backbone to support pilots, engineers, and operational elements.

CAS Abubakar highlighted several initiatives aimed at improving NAF personnel management, including the construction of a new office complex in Gudu to house the Air Secretary Branch and Personnel Management Group. The relocation of the Personnel Management Group to Abuja is expected by the second quarter of this year.

He also mentioned significant welfare improvements, such as better-equipped medical facilities, enhanced insurance policies, and affordable housing schemes. In the past year and a half, 2,972 personnel have benefited from newly constructed or renovated accommodation.

To further enhance personnel management, Abubakar shared that the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Administrative Management had trained 601 personnel, including officers and airmen. The institute conducted various leadership and management courses and specialized programs for administrative trades.

However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges such as Absence Without Leave, drug abuse, and the negative influence of social media, urging the seminar as an opportunity to evaluate current practices and explore innovative solutions to these issues.

Abubakar concluded by emphasizing the importance of further computerizing personnel management systems and integrating data analytics to optimize resource allocation, decision-making, and operational efficiency in the Air Force.

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