The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a loan of approximately $618 million to procure six Italian-made M-346 attack jets and ammunition for the Nigerian Air Force. The loan will come from a consortium of international financiers, according to Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made the announcement on Wednesday.
This follows the Air Force’s recent disclosure of plans to acquire 24 M-346 jets and 10 AW-109 Trekker helicopters as part of a strategic fleet renewal. The first delivery of three jets is anticipated by early 2025, with the rest arriving by mid-2026.
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The new aircraft are expected to bolster Nigeria’s aerial capabilities in its ongoing counterinsurgency operations. Despite the allocation of N3.3 trillion to the defence sector in the 2024 budget, Boko Haram and other militant groups continue to pose significant challenges, particularly in the Northeast.
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