The Nigerian Air Force has inducted five helicopters into service and unveiled Presidential Air Fleet hangars in Abuja, adding rotary-wing aircraft and supporting infrastructure to its aviation assets.
The ceremony on Thursday, 29 October, covered two Airbus H-125 helicopters and three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters. Voice of Nigeria reported the induction and the unveiling of the hangars after earlier announcements set out plans for the event.
The aircraft were acquired before Thursday’s ceremony. In its September delivery statement, the Air Force said three AW-109s arrived in Lagos on 15 September, while the two H-125s had been delivered earlier.
The AW-109 Trekker B aircraft were manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy. The H-125s were produced by Airbus Helicopters. Their delivery formed part of the Federal Government’s programme to modernise and reequip the service.
The three AW-109s belong to an order for ten helicopters. Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the remaining seven were expected before the end of 2026, a delivery timetable that remains prospective.
The service identified intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance among the intended roles for the AW-109s. Other listed tasks include close air support, armed escort, combat search and rescue, and joint operations supporting ground forces.
The H-125s are intended to provide light helicopter support across operational requirements. Air Force officials described the combined acquisition as a way to increase the availability of aircraft and improve flexibility across different theaters.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke said at the time of delivery that the aircraft would provide additional options for supporting troops. He linked the investment to the service’s responsibilities in operations against terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry.
Those statements describe the aircraft’s intended contribution. The induction announcement does not establish particular combat results, deployments, or changes in civilian security conditions following the ceremony.
Delivery and induction are separate stages in bringing aircraft into service. The September statement said the helicopters would undergo post-delivery assembly, technical checks, and crew-readiness processes before induction and operationalisation.
Aneke also identified maintenance, logistics support and effective employment as priorities for turning the acquisition into operational capability. His statement emphasised the need for the new aircraft to contribute to ongoing operations and the protection of communities.
The event was arranged at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The advance programme named President Bola Tinubu as special guest of honour and Aneke as host.
Channels Television’s advance report described the hangar as newly reconstructed, while Voice of Nigeria’s report of the ceremony described newly constructed Presidential Air Fleet hangars. Both reports placed aviation infrastructure alongside the helicopter induction.
The hangars provide space to accommodate aircraft and support maintenance requirements, according to the ceremony report. Their unveiling accompanies the fleet additions rather than constituting a further delivery of helicopters.
The announcements reviewed do not state a purchase price for the five aircraft or set out their future basing arrangements. They also do not identify specific units receiving each helicopter.
The service’s outstanding acquisition timetable still includes the seven AW-109s expected later this year.
