The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has restated his unwavering commitment to enhancing operational safety and sustaining peak combat readiness through rigorous training, strict adherence to airworthiness standards, and the continuous modernisation of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Air Marshal Aneke made this known on Tuesday, 28 April 2026, while declaring open a two-day Airworthiness Seminar organised by the Aircraft Engineering Branch at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Abuja.
The seminar brought together senior engineering officers, maintenance commanders, logistics experts, and key aviation stakeholders to deliberate on strategies aimed at improving aircraft safety, fleet sustainability, and operational readiness across the Service.
Speaking at the event, the CAS, represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal AY Abdullahi, emphasised that airworthiness remains non-negotiable in the effective projection of decisive air power, stressing that the safety and reliability of NAF platforms are critical to mission success in ongoing counter-terrorism and internal security operations nationwide.
He noted that the seminar aligns with his command philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Air Force into a more capable, professional, and mission-ready fighting force through innovation, discipline, and high operational standards. Air Marshal Aneke further stated that the institutionalisation of stringent maintenance procedures, continuous capacity development, and a strong culture of professionalism, anchored on purposeful lethality, mission effectiveness, and sustained combat capability, will remain enduring principles guiding the Service into the future.
A major highlight of the seminar was a technical presentation delivered by Mr Clementi Giorgio, Executive Chairman, Chief Technology Officer, Experienced Test Pilot, Flight Test Engineer, and Flight Test Instructor from the International Test Pilot School, Ontario, Canada. During his presentation, Mr Giorgio shared global best practices on flight test safety, airworthiness certification, and emerging technologies in aircraft maintenance management.
The seminar is expected to further strengthen the NAF’s maintenance culture, operational efficiency, and readiness to meet contemporary air power demands in defence of the nation.
