NAF reaffirms support for NDA in training competent, combat-ready Officers

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has restated the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to strengthening its support for the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in grooming professionally competent officers for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He made the pledge on 26 November 2025 when he received the 34th Commandant of the NDA, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja. Air Marshal Aneke congratulated the Commandant on his appointment, describing it as recognition of his “proven competence, dedication, and exemplary service.”

Aneke, who previously served as Deputy Commandant of the NDA, said the Academy plays a central role in shaping the leadership of the military. His experience at the institution, he noted, gave him deeper insight into its importance as the foundation of leadership development and character building within the officer corps.

He described the NDA as “the cradle of military professionalism,” responsible for producing officers who are mentally resilient, morally upright, and operationally prepared to confront evolving security threats. The Air Chief emphasized that sustaining a combat-ready officer cadre requires continuous collaboration in training, faculty development, capacity building, and exposure to real-time operational environments.

“The Nigerian Air Force will continue to support the NDA to ensure it produces officers who are fully equipped to contribute meaningfully to national defence,” he said.

In his remarks, Major General Olatoye expressed gratitude for the warm reception and pledged to consolidate on the Academy’s existing reforms and structures. He said the NDA under his command would deepen collaboration with all Services to remain globally competitive, academically robust, and aligned with the strategic needs of the Armed Forces.

He added that the Academy is committed to strengthening its curriculum, leadership development pathways, and character-building processes to ensure it produces officers who embody discipline, excellence, and readiness for modern warfare.

Both leaders expressed confidence that closer cooperation between the NAF and NDA would further enhance the development of competent, disciplined, and combat-ready officers for the nation’s defence architecture.