Nigeria’s cabinet has approved borrowing approximately $618 million from international financiers to purchase six Italian-made M-346 attack jets, along with accompanying ammunition for the Nigerian Air Force. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Information Minister Mohammed Idris.
This move is part of Nigeria’s broader fleet renewal strategy. Earlier in October, the air force revealed plans to acquire 24 M-346 combat jets and 10 AW109 Trekker helicopters, enhancing its capacity to address growing security challenges.
The first three M-346 jets are expected to arrive by early 2025, with the remainder being delivered by mid-2026.
Nigeria has significantly increased military spending in recent years to combat escalating violence, particularly in the northwest, where armed bandits have been increasingly active, and in the northeast, where the military has been engaged in a prolonged 15-year insurgency against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Melissa Enoch
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