Emmanuel Daudu
In a bold demonstration of Nigeria’s renewed commitment to modernizing its military fleet, the Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (CON, mni), has inspected the production lines of advanced Nigerian Air Force aircraft at Leonardo S.p.A. facilities in Northern Italy.
The visit, part of a high-level delegation accompanying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the AQABA Process meeting, took the Minister to Leonardo’s Helicopters Division in Vergiate and Aircraft lll Division in Venegono where Nigeria’s latest AW109 Trekker attack helicopters and M-346 Fighter Attack Jets are being assembled.
During the inspection, Badaru assessed the progress of ten AW109 helicopters three of which are ready for delivery, three nearing completion before year-end, and four more scheduled for early 2026. He also reviewed the M-346 Fighter Attack Jet project, where six of the twenty-four ordered aircraft are in advanced production stages, with three already undergoing flight tests.
The Minister lauded Leonardo’s technical expertise and adherence to schedule, emphasizing that the timely delivery of these aircraft will significantly boost the Nigerian Armed Forces’ operational capacity.
“This partnership reflects our administration’s strategic vision under President Tinubu to strengthen Nigeria’s defence through innovation, training, and global collaboration,” Badaru stated.
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