By Bavoriat Clara
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and Services have held the third quarter 2025 Transformation and Innovation Seminar at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters, Abuja, with a strong emphasis on strengthening the will to fight and promoting innovation as core pillars of Nigeria’s defence posture.
Delivering the keynote address on 25 September 2025, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, DFS, reaffirmed that transformation, innovation, and the will to fight remain central to enhancing military effectiveness across the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN). He noted that the seminar marked another milestone in the collective efforts to develop strategies for sustaining national defence and operational readiness.
Air Marshal Abubakar stressed that while modern technology and welfare provisions are critical, intangible assets such as loyalty, trust, cohesion, resilience, and psychological stability remain the true cornerstone of victory in battle. Quoting General Erwin Rommel’s maxim that “the best form of welfare for troops is first-class training,” the Air Chief said the theme — “Galvanizing the Will to Fight: Issues and Transformative Solutions for the Armed Forces of Nigeria” — was timely and essential.
“The will to fight goes beyond weapons. It encompasses psychological resilience, physical readiness, ideological conviction, and confidence in leadership,” he said. He added that Nigerian military personnel deployed across the six geopolitical zones continue to restore peace and order through joint and inter-agency operations, and that their morale must be consistently nurtured to sustain operational gains.
Reviewing the NAF’s transformation agenda, the CAS announced the resuscitation of the Nigerian Air Force Surveillance Aircraft (NAFSA) Eagle Project, suspended seven years ago. The light multi-role utility aircraft, he explained, would enhance self-reliance in aerospace technology while advancing domestic innovation in the aviation industry. He also highlighted intensified training, improved application of airpower in joint operations, incentives for innovative research and development, and measures to minimise civilian harm in operations.
Air Marshal Abubakar underscored welfare as a decisive enabler of the will to fight. He cited massive accommodation projects across NAF bases, establishment of the Nigerian Air Force College of Logistics, expansion of medical services, procurement of over 70 new vehicles for operations and logistics, full kitting of personnel, and institutionalised fitness programmes. According to him, these initiatives reflect the NAF’s commitment to ensuring personnel are physically, mentally, and morally prepared for assigned tasks.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation, Headquarters NAF, Air Vice Marshal AH Amesinlola, welcomed participants and resource persons to the seminar, describing it as a vital platform for cross-service collaboration, intellectual exchange, and innovative problem-solving. He noted that the Transformation and Innovation Branch has recently relocated to a modern facility at the NAF Annex, Gudu, Abuja, in line with the CAS’s commitment to providing a conducive working environment. He also disclosed that several NAF-funded R&D projects — including electronic bomb-loading trolleys, voltage regulator adjustment systems, and A-29 Super Tucano fire pump test stands — were at various stages of implementation.
Declaring the seminar open, Air Marshal Abubakar expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his consistent support to the Armed Forces through modern platforms, resources, and an enabling environment to fulfil their constitutional mandate. He urged participants to deliberate productively and generate outcomes that will further strengthen the collective will to fight, enhance jointness, and sustain operational successes across the country.
The seminar brought together senior officers, experts, and stakeholders from across the Armed Forces and beyond, both physically and virtually, to examine strategies for galvanising the will to fight and building a more resilient and innovative military force for Nigeria.
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