Our Correspondent Ibadan
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has issued a blunt warning: without financial discipline and accountability, Nigeria cannot win its battles or guarantee national security.
He delivered the warning at the opening of the 2025 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Finance Conference and Retreat, held at the NAF School of Finance and Accounts (NAFSFA) in Ajia-Ibadan, where he told senior officers and finance experts that every naira wasted is a threat to operational readiness.
“Efficient management of resources is not just an administrative necessity, it is a moral imperative that underpins our ability to defend this nation,” Abubakar declared, insisting that fiscal recklessness in the military directly undermines Nigeria’s defence architecture.
The two-day Retreat, Themed: “Sustainable Resource Management for Effective Air Power Delivery,” brought together top commanders, finance managers, policymakers, and civil society stakeholders at a time when the military faces both rising security challenges and shrinking fiscal space.
Air Marshal Abubakar made it clear that accountability must not be treated as a bureaucratic formality but as a frontline weapon.
“From the highest levels of command to the junior cadre, accountability must be internalised. It is a commitment to the future of the Nigerian Air Force and the security of our nation,” he told the gathering.
He commended the Accounts and Budget Branch for organizing the retreat, describing it as “timely and strategic” for ensuring that every kobo allocated to the Service is judiciously applied.
The CAS also hailed Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for approving the dualisation of the access road to the NAF Base at Ajia, describing the gesture as a symbol of enduring partnership between the State and the military.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, represented by Special Adviser Dr. Samuel Omenka also warned that Nigeria’s defence sector must adapt to a “resource-constrained era.”
“Effective budgeting, transparency, and accountability are critical to sustaining airpower,” Omenka said, urging the NAF to channel resources towards maximum impact and avoid financial leakages that weaken national defence.
Also In his remark, Air Vice Marshal Uche Nwagwu, Chief of Accounts and Budget, reinforced the CAS’s message.
“Our job goes beyond balancing figures. Every naira entrusted to us must translate into operational capability and national security. That is the essence of stewardship,” he said.
The venue itself, “NAFSFA” carried symbolic weight. Commissioned earlier this year during NAF’s 61st anniversary, the school has already become a training hub for finance officers and a resource centre with national impact.
Dignitaries at the event included Oyo State Head of Service, Mrs. Olubumi Oni, and Accountant General, Mrs. Kike Adegoke, who joined the CAS on a tour of NAFSFA facilities and the commissioning of the NAF Finance Specialty Hall of Fame.
The Retreat will feature technical sessions, expert-led panels, and knowledge-sharing designed to sharpen the skills of NAF finance personnel, while embedding a culture of prudence and transparency across the Service.
But the CAS’s message rang loudest: Nigeria’s airpower is only as strong as its financial discipline.
“When we waste resources, we weaken our ability to defend this nation. Fiscal discipline is not optional, it is our new weapon of war,” Abubakar declared.
