NIGERIAN AIR FORCE TO DOUBLE NEW INTAKES IN 2016

1. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has disclosed its recruitment plan for 2016.

The plan, which aims to surpass previous enlistments, is targeted at doubling

the number of fresh intakes to be recruited in 2016. The Chief of the Air Staff,

Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, made the disclosure penultimate weekend

while in Enugu to assess the state of facilities at the International Helicopter

Flying School (IHFS) and 95 Helicopter Combat Training School (95 HCTG)

among other NAF establishments in the state. Speaking, Air Marshal Abubakar

noted that “before now the NAF usually recruits between 1000 – 1200 airmen

and airwomen yearly”, adding that” the projection for 2016 is to recruit

about 2100 personnel”.

2. The CAS, in his speech, also disclosed that the NAF is adopting a multi-

prong approach to achieve both immediate and long term training objectives.

The strategies being adopted include collaboration with other countries in the

area of training, facilities expansion and upgrade, as well as curriculum review

in NAF training schools with a view to enhance their capacity to provide quality

training for more personnel locally; even as the Service seeks to increase

existing training slots abroad. Accordingly, the British Military Advisory Training

Team (BMATT) is partnering with the NAF on capacity building with special

emphasis on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist activities. A 30-man

BMATT team has since arrived Nigeria on 3 January 2016 to train the first batch

of NAF Regiment personnel, comprising 4 officers and airmen, at the Ground

Training Centre, Kaduna. The 3-week training programme is focusing on airfield

defence and critical assets protection, and would be rounding up on 28

January 2016. 

3. In an effort to meet the local training projection for 2016, the NAF of

recent had to relocate 50 student pilots currently undergoing primary flying

training at the 301 Flying Training School (FTS) Kaduna to Makurdi due to bad

weather. The move is intended to avoid their training from being disrupted by

adverse weather conditions. The students, scheduled for helicopter flying, are

expected to gain some hours on fixed aircraft before proceeding for basic

helicopter training at IHFS Enugu, South Africa and United Kingdom.

4. The NAF Training Agenda 2016 as its objective as to foster the desire for

“human capacity development through robust and result oriented training

for enhanced professional performance” as a major key driver of the vision

of the CAS which is “to reposition the NAF into a highly professional and

disciplined force through capacity building initiatives for effective,

efficient and timely employment of air power in response to Nigeria's

national security imperatives". Meanwhile, the NAF is at the verge of

commencing another recruitment exercise for fresh intakes. Interested

applicants are therefore advised to check the NAF official recruitment portal on

www.careers.nigerianairforce.gov.ng for more information.

5. You are please requested to publish this information in your mass media

for the awareness of the general public. Thank you for your support and

cooperation.

AYODELE FAMUYIWA

Group Captain

Director of Public Relations

& Information