By Joy Odor Abuja
In a fiery call to arms, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, declared that the backbone of Nigeria’s military success is not just superior firepower but unshakable will, resilience, and innovation.
Delivering a powerful keynote at the Third Quarter 2025 Defence Headquarters and Services Transformation Seminar in Abuja, the Air Chief rallied the Armed Forces to embrace transformation not just in tools and tactics, but in spirit and mindset.
With Nigeria facing complex threats across all six geopolitical zones, the CAS made it clear: the war will be won by the strength of character, not just the strength of arms.
“It’s not just about drones and jets it’s about loyalty, trust, and the fire in the hearts of our troops,” Abubakar thundered, invoking General Erwin Rommel’s timeless doctrine: “The best form of welfare for troops is first class training.”
With the seminar themed “Galvanizing the Will to Fight: Issues and Transformative Solutions for the Armed Forces of Nigeria”, Air Marshal Abubakar laid out a bold vision: a military fortified by psychological readiness, ideological conviction, physical fitness, and unshakable confidence in leadership.
He noted that beyond hard assets, it is intangible values that turn battles and wars in a nation’s favour.
Under Abubakar’s leadership, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is not just fighting, it is transforming.
He revealed the resurrection of the long-dormant NAFSA Eagle Project, a cutting-edge surveillance aircraft developed locally to boost self-reliance and reshape Nigeria’s aviation future.
He also touted a wave of innovation incentives, upgraded joint air operations, and an intensified focus on civilian harm mitigation, a clear sign that NAF is fighting smarter, not just harder.
Turning to welfare, the CAS laid bare NAF’s massive efforts to fortify the fighting spirit through real-world support:
Massive new housing projects across all bases
Establishment of the NAF College of Logistics
Upgraded medical infrastructure and insurance policies
Over 70 new logistics vehicles
Institutionalised physical fitness regimes
“Preparedness isn’t just a goal, it’s a duty. Our troops must be ready mentally, physically, and morally,” he affirmed.
The seminar, hosted at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, drew top defence minds from across the services.
Air Vice Marshal AH Amesinlola, Chief of Transformation and Innovation, praised the forum as a brain trust for bold ideas and joint force solutions to Nigeria’s evolving security threats.
In closing, Air Marshal Abubakar gave a rousing salute to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his unwavering support in modernising Nigeria’s military.
He urged participants to deliver outcomes that ignite courage, sharpen strategy, and strengthen Nigeria’s collective will to fight.
With his eyes fixed on innovation and hearts set on victory, the Air Chief is spearheading not just a transformation of the armed forces but a revolution in military thinking.
Nigeria’s enemies, take note: the Air Force is not just flying higher, it’s fighting harder, smarter, and together.
