NAF Announces Major Leadership Shake-Up, Appoints New Air Officers to Strategic Positions
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced a major leadership realignment involving fresh postings and appointments of senior officers across its operational commands, strategic institutions and Defence Headquarters to strengthen operational effectiveness and enhance national security.
The exercise, approved by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, on November 7, 2026, is expected to take effect in November, with all affected officers directed to assume their new positions and complete handover formalities on or before November 13, 2026.
The realignment covers Headquarters NAF, operational commands, military training institutions, Defence Headquarters, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and other strategic establishments.
At Headquarters NAF, AVM AK Ademuwagun has been appointed Chief of Transformation and Innovation, while AVM IV Ajiboye becomes Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation. Other appointments include AVM PN Amadi as Chief of Air Intelligence; AVM NN Ananaba as Chief of Operations; AVM AH Bakari as Air Provost Marshal; AVM EE Efiom as Chief of Training; and AVM MS Ibrahim as Chairman, Air Expo and International Liaison.
Also appointed are AVM AG Kehinde as Chief of Civil-Military Relations, AVM MA Sulaiman as Chief of Communications and Information Systems, AVM S Peters as Coordinator, Project Implementation Team, and AVM AJ Laoye as Chief of Aircraft Engineering.
At the operational command level, AVM NI Ilo has been appointed Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Tactical Air Command, while AVM BR Mamman takes over Mobility Command.
Similarly, AVM OS Ogunsina becomes AOC, Logistics Command; AVM MN Onyebashi assumes leadership of Special Operations Command; and AVM FCS Nwakara has been appointed AOC, Ground Training Command.
The appointments also affect several military training and educational institutions. AVM PB Philips has been appointed Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), while AVM MC Ekwueme becomes Commandant of the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (AFRC).
Other appointments include AVM AO Akinbunwa as Commandant, Air Force War College; AVM A Idris as Commandant, Air Warfare Doctrine Centre; AVM JA Ekwuribe as Commandant, Regiment Training Centre; AVM OC Ubadike as Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology; AVM AI Sambo as Commandant, Nigerian Air Force College of Logistics and Management; and AVM M Yusuf as Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy.
At Defence Headquarters, AVM UK Abdullahi has been appointed Director of Defence Operations, while AVM EOE Ebiowe moves to the Office of the National Security Adviser as Deputy Coordinator, National Intelligence.
Other appointments at the Defence Headquarters include AVM DDG Pwajok as Director of Technical Services, Defence Intelligence Agency; AVM I Sani as Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence; AVM AA Shinkafi as Director of Liaison; AVM AO Shogbamu as Director of Military Strategy; and AVM ZA Usman as Director of Cyber Operations.
Also appointed are AVM EK Gabkwet as Director of Civil-Military Relations, AVM GAA Bello as Director of Joint Warfare Doctrine, AVM RK Olanrewaju as Director of Search and Rescue, AVM J Usman as Director of Special Duties, and AVM JJ Ijudigal as Director of Sports.
The Defence Space Administration also recorded new appointments, with AVM AA Suleh named Deputy Chief, while AVM OA Oyename becomes Director of Earth Observation and AVM SS Lazarus takes over as Director of Launch Vehicles and Space Operations.
Furthermore, AVM OT Salami has been posted to the Defence Space Command Centre as Deputy Chief, while AVM AI Hanidu becomes Director of Integrated Air Power Studies at the Air Power Centre of Excellence.
To strengthen operational command structures, AVM JI Ukeh has been appointed Commander of the Nigerian Air Defence Corps (NADC), while AVM GI Jibia becomes Deputy Force Commander of Operation HADIN KAI.
Other appointments include AVM CE Akubue as Managing Director, Aircraft Engineering and Technical Services Limited (AETSL), and AVM CE Akpa as Commander, Headquarters NAF Camp.
The NAF also announced appointments across its command structures, including AVM OA Abu as Chief of Staff, Mobility Command; AVM I Subi as Chief of Staff, Special Operations Command; AVM NB Folaji as Chief of Staff, Tactical Air Command; AVM F Ekpah as Chief of Staff, Ground Training Command; AVM ES Odekina as Chief of Staff, Logistics Command; and AVM M Umar as Chief of Staff, Air Training Command.
In a statement announcing the exercise, the Air Force said the realignment reflected its commitment to leadership renewal, institutional accountability and improved operational performance.
The Chief of the Air Staff expressed confidence that the newly appointed officers would deploy their professional expertise and experience to advance his Command Philosophy and strengthen the Service’s capacity to deliver effective airpower support for joint military operations and national security.
