By Bavoriat Clara
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited have reaffirmed their long-standing partnership to safeguard critical oil and gas infrastructure central to Nigeria’s economic stability.
This renewed commitment was highlighted during a courtesy visit by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, to the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, on 25 November 2025 in Abuja.
According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the engagement underscored the strategic importance of enhanced collaboration in securing key national assets and supporting sustainable economic growth under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Air Marshal Aneke noted that protecting the nation’s energy installations remains critical not only to NNPC’s operational success but also to Nigeria’s economic resilience. He stated that the NAF is fully committed to supporting the protection of pipelines, flow stations, offshore platforms, and other infrastructure essential to the national energy supply chain. Strengthened security, he added, would help curb revenue losses, increase productivity, and bolster national development.
The CAS emphasized that joint operations by the NAF and other security agencies have already contributed significantly to the reduction of oil theft and increased national output. He stressed the need for more coordinated and technology-driven responses, noting that the NAF is expanding its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to enhance proactive threat detection and rapid response operations.
Highlighting the Air Force’s expanding maritime security posture, Air Marshal Aneke said improved alignment between NAF operations and NNPC’s strategic priorities would further secure energy corridors, ensure uninterrupted supply, and support higher oil and gas production.
In his response, NNPC GCEO Engr. Bayo Ojulari commended the NAF for its steadfast commitment to national security. He described the strengthened collaboration as timely, especially in view of presidential directives for NNPC to scale up productivity and deepen investments. Ojulari affirmed that the partnership is vital to promoting energy security, stabilizing production, and ensuring a safer operating environment.
He assured the CAS of NNPC’s readiness to broaden cooperation in areas such as intelligence sharing, joint operational planning, and the deployment of advanced security technologies around vulnerable assets.
Air Marshal Aneke reaffirmed the Air Force’s continued support, stressing that the NAF remains a reliable partner in protecting national resources and countering insurgency, vandalism, and criminal activities.
He said enhanced cooperation between both institutions will reinforce coastal and maritime security while contributing significantly to Nigeria’s economic recovery and broader development goals.
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