In a significant milestone that reflects deep-rooted reforms and a robust safety culture, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has recorded an entire calendar year without a single aircraft mishap.
The announcement was made by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, during the 2025 Safety Review Board (SRB) meeting held at NAF Headquarters in Abuja.
Abubakar described the development as the product of deliberate and sustained safety interventions.
He credited the achievement to heightened vigilance, improved training, and institutional discipline across the Force.
“This is a significant achievement, one that underscores the collective commitment and professionalism of our personnel.
“Safety is not accidental—it is intentional. It requires foresight, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement.
“Over 1,300 airmen and 157 officers have undergone comprehensive safety induction and awareness training in 2025 alone.
“With the cumulative number of safety-trained personnel now at 1,199, the NAF is pushing toward universal safety literacy within its ranks,” he said.
The CAS emphasised that no technological advancement can compensate for poor safety practices.
According to him, no matter how advanced an aircraft may be, its effectiveness is ultimately determined by the safety environment in which it operates.
While emphasising the need to align operational capability with a resilient and proactive safety infrastructure, he charged commanders at all levels to remain alert and lead by example with a warning against complacency.
According to the CAS, most aviation accidents are not acts of fate, but outcomes of human error, procedural lapses, or communication breakdowns.
In his remarks, Chief of Standards and Evaluation, AVM Olasunkanmi Abidoye, highlighted the operational depth of the NAF’s safety strategy.
Abidoye revealed that evaluation visits were carried out at 58 units, with 31 safety inspections completed in the first half of 2025 alone, as well as awareness seminars held across commands to entrench a shared responsibility for safety. (NAN)
