The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar said on Wednesday that Nigerian Air Force (NAF) carried out its numerous operations in the past one year without mishap.
CAS disclosed this during the 2025 Safety Review Board (SRB) Meeting held at the Air Marshal MD Umar Blue Room, Headquarters NAF, Abuja.
Air Marshal Abubakar said the achievement came about through deliberate institutional reforms, expanded safety training, enhanced command-level oversight, and the adoption of predictive safety management practices.
He said over 1,300 airmen and 157 officers have undergone comprehensive safety induction and awareness training in 2025 alone.
He also attributed the success to sustained investment in human capacity and acquisition of technological advancements.
He stressed that safety must be a core value, not just a metric of performance, and urged senior commanders to lead by example.
The NAF remains focused on ensuring that its assets operate within the highest safety parameters as the Federal Government continues to enhance Nigeria’s airpower with modern platforms.
“This is a significant achievement, one that underscores the collective commitment and vigilance of our personnel,” he said. “Safety is not a one-time achievement, but a continuous process requiring foresight, innovation, and accountability.
“Our goal is to make safety education universal within our ranks,” the Air Marshal noted, emphasizing the need for sustained investment in human capacity alongside technological advancements.
“We must remain vigilant and avoid the trap of complacency. Most aviation accidents are not caused by fate, but by lapses in judgment, communication, or adherence to procedures,” he warned.
Commending the efforts of Air Officers Commanding in sustaining quarterly Safety Action Group meetings,
CAS called for greater accountability and activity at the unit level as the responsibility for safety must be shared and internalized across the force.
“No matter how advanced an aircraft may be, its effectiveness is ultimately determined by the safety environment in which it operates,” the CAS stated.
In earlier in his welcome address, the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, Air Vice Marshal Abidoye, had provided insight into the operational backbone of the NAF’s safety system.
“With the support of the CAS, we conducted evaluation visits to 58 units in the first half of 2025 and completed safety inspections in 31,” he said.