{"id":763954,"date":"2025-01-16T07:22:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T04:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.capitalfm.co.ke\/news\/?p=763954"},"modified":"2025-01-15T12:47:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T09:47:27","slug":"west-africa-is-the-worlds-new-epicentre-for-terrorism-nigeria-is-expanding-its-air-force-in-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.capitalfm.co.ke\/news\/2025\/01\/west-africa-is-the-worlds-new-epicentre-for-terrorism-nigeria-is-expanding-its-air-force-in-response\/","title":{"rendered":"West Africa is the world\u2019s new epicentre for terrorism \u2013 Nigeria is expanding its air force in\u00a0response"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Samuel Oyewole<\/a>, University of Pretoria<\/a><\/em>; Francis Okpaleke<\/a>, University of Waikato<\/a><\/em>, and Oluwole Ojewale<\/a>, Institute for Security Studies<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the Nigerian Air Force celebrated its 60th anniversary in May 2024, its spokesperson declared it was set to become the third largest air force in Africa within the next two years. This is based on the massive procurement and delivery of air assets and the capacity building programme of the force in recent years.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expansion of the fleet comes at a critical time. The global terrorism index recently described the Sahel region of west Africa as the new epicentre of terrorism. Security analysts Samuel Oyewole, Francis Okpaleke and Oluwole Ojewale share their insights on the role of the Nigerian Air Force in the country\u2019s security and regional power projection.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What capabilities does Nigeria\u2019s air force have? How does it compare with others on the continent?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, Nigeria\u2019s air force is reported to have 18,000 personnel, 61 combat capable air platforms and 179 air platforms, including 117 aircraft, 55 helicopters and seven heavy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surpassed only by Egypt with 20,000 air force personnel, Nigeria is second in Africa on this score, ahead of Algeria (14,000), Morocco (13,000), South Africa (8,900), Angola (6,000), Sudan (3,000) and Ethiopia (3,000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military Balance, an annual assessment of the military capabilities of countries around the world, further shows that Nigeria (61) is behind Egypt (491), Algeria (183) and Morocco (89), but ahead of South Africa (48), Sudan (45), Kenya (32), Angola (28) and Ethiopia (14), in combat capable aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nigeria (179+) is currently behind Egypt (1,028+), Algeria (525+), Angola (345) and Morocco (295+) based on total platforms in its inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quantity of air platforms and personnel is not the sole determinant of capabilities, preparedness, operational performance and strategic effects. Other relevant factors include skills, morale, control and public support, to name a few. The Nigerian Air Force has developed relevant capabilities in all these qualitative areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How useful is it to Nigeria\u2019s security?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The expansion of the fleet comes at a critical time, when military readiness is necessary to counter emerging regional and transnational security threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has serious geopolitical implications for counterterrorism operations in the Sahel and combating the escalating threat of coups in west Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the global terrorism index, the epicentre of terrorism has shifted from the Middle East to the central Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger account for most of the terrorism deaths in the region. To address this challenge, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) plans to raise US$2.4 billion to establish a standby counterterrorism force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nigeria military could play an important role by providing its air force assets for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, transportation, close air support, and precision strikes in terrorist strongholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also key in building capacity for the air forces of other members of the bloc, and championing innovation through research and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The growing capability of Nigeria\u2019s air force is also strategic for power projection in west Africa, particularly in defending democracy. The Nigerian Air Force\u2019s deployment<\/a> to The Gambia had strategic effects in the Ecowas mission to restore democracy there in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The air force also played major roles in Ecowas peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s. And it delivered aid and relief materials to countries in west Africa and beyond during COVID-19, Ebola and other emergencies, such as floods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An adequately equipped air force bolsters Nigeria\u2019s geopolitical influence across west Africa and further afield. It reflects Nigeria\u2019s capacity to defend its interests, contribute to regional security initiatives and engage in diplomatic relations concerning security challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also supports ground forces in their campaigns against Boko Haram, armed bandits and other violent extremists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the strengths of the Nigerian air force?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over the last two decades, the Nigerian Air Force has been involved in air campaigns against militancy in the Niger Delta, Boko Haram in the Lake Chad area, and armed banditry in north-west and central Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air power has helped the Nigerian military to locate and neutralise numerous camps and logistics of Boko Haram insurgents. It has helped them eliminate thousands of Boko Haram fighters, protected ground forces and rescued thousands of hostages since 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oil militants, pirates and illegal refineries have been uncovered and neutralised in the Niger Delta with air support since 2003.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond combat missions, the Nigerian Air Force has equally supported disaster management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the weaknesses of the Nigeria Air Force? What\u2019s missing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The force has been criticised for several cases of accidental airstrikes that claimed the lives of many civilians. It is equally criticised for inadequate deployment of air power for decisive strategic effects against Boko Haram, armed banditry and oil militants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the last decade, the air force has confronted various challenges. They include ageing fleets, the high cost of maintaining assets, training and retaining personnel, and expanding geographical scope of its operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another is the use of anti-aircraft weapons by insurgents and criminals. Boko Haram and some other groups have challenged Nigeria\u2019s air dominance in battle. Several warplanes have been downed by insurgents and bandits. The insurgents have also configured commercial off-the-shelf drones with explosives and deployed them to attack Nigerian security forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How big a drain is the Nigeria Air Force on Nigeria\u2019s finances?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nigeria spent 1.38 trillion naira (about US$2.4 billion) on defence in 2023, and 1.65 trillion naira (US$1.1 billion) in 2024. These amounts included 200 billion naira (US$337.8 million) on the air force in 2023, and 203 billion naira (US$138 million) in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIPRI Arms Transfers Database shows that aircraft accounted for 50% of Nigeria\u2019s defence import expenditure between 2010 and 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Nigeria\u2019s defence procurement is often funded by the general and supplementary budget, it sometimes bypasses this procedure. In 2018, for example, former president Muhammadu Buhari paid US$496 million for the purchase of 12 Turcano aircraft even before the approval of the national assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also in October 2024, Nigeria approved a loan of US$618 million for the purchase of fighter jets and ammunition for its air force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nigeria has also to bear a heavy cost for supporting counterterrorism and peace in west Africa and beyond. The country spent US$45 million on its military support for counterterrorism in Mali in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nigeria has significantly raised military spending to fulfil its growing security demands. In 2016, military spending surpassed 4% of government spending for the first time since 2003, and was 7.59% in 2021, the highest in more than three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can the Nigerian air force stay relevant?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using air power requires clearly defined military objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nigerian Air Force suffers a track record of civilian casualty and erroneous air strikes, where hundreds were killed or injured, to the detriment of its reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the air force needs to become more accountable for its operations, the government should be accountable and more transparent in terms of defence spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samuel Oyewole<\/a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria<\/a><\/em>; Francis Okpaleke<\/a>, Research Fellow in the Department of Politics and Public Policy, University of Waikato<\/a><\/em>, and Oluwole Ojewale<\/a>, Research Fellow, Obafemi Awolowo University, Regional Coordinator, Institute for Security Studies<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Military Balance, an annual assessment of the military capabilities of countries around the world, further shows that Nigeria (61) is behind Egypt (491), Algeria (183) and Morocco (89), but ahead of South Africa (48), Sudan (45), Kenya (32), Angola (28) and Ethiopia (14), in combat capable aircraft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14389,"featured_media":763958,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,20624],"tags":[],"coauthors":[14926],"class_list":["post-763954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","category-analysis"],"yoast_head":"\nWest Africa is the world\u2019s new epicentre for terrorism \u2013 Nigeria is expanding its air force in\u00a0response » Capital News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Military Balance, an annual assessment of the military capabilities of countries around the world, further shows 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