NAF committed to improving welfare of veterans

 

NAF committed to improving welfare of veterans

Lagos, Jan. 25, 2026

L) Director of Veteran Affair, HQ, NAF, Air Commodore Ademuyiwa Adedoyin, AOC, Logistics Command, NAF, AVM Abubakar Suleh, Chief of Staff, NAF, Air Commodore Bobby Akpabio

The Nigerian Air Force has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the welfare and healthcare of the veterans who once served it.

Air Commodore Ademuyiwa Adedoyin, the Director of Veteran Affairs Department, Headquarters, NAF, said this on Saturday during the 2026 Chief of Air Staff (CAS) parley with veterans.

Adedoyin represented the CAS, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke at the parley which held at Logistics Command, NAF, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Adedoyin said the engagement was designed to directly address veterans’ healthcare needs, financial welfare, economic integration and sustained interaction with the service.

“The initiative is basically to create a platform where we can relate with our retired colleagues and appreciate them for the services they rendered while on active duty.

“It is also an opportunity for old colleagues to meet themselves once again and socialise.

“During the interaction, their challenges were made known to us and we will take the appropriate steps to solve them,” he said.

He explained that the initiative also serves as a morale booster for serving officers, reassuring them that the Air Force maintains strong ties with its personnel even after retirement.

“Some of us still in active service will soon be retiring. This is also a way of preparing the future for those of us that will be retiring soon.

“So, it is also a kind of self-enlightening programme before retirement,” Adedoyin said.

The director added that the Ministry of Defence was working on plans to identify gaps, including ungoverned spaces, where military veterans could be engaged to contribute their skills and experience.

He further disclosed that the CAS approved a substantial financial support package in December 2025 to enable NAF widows celebrate the yuletide.

“We have a well established system in which the widows of our fallen heroes are also taken care of,” he said.

The Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, NAF, AVM Abubakar Suleh said that the interactive forum which began in 2023 had grown in relevance and impact, prompting its adoption as a biannual gathering. 

Suleh said that just like previous editions, the parleys held across various NAF units in 2025 received commendable feedback and strong participation.

"I express my deepest appreciation for your loyal service, sacrifices, and continued commitment to the NAF and our great Nation. 

"Your contributions have laid the solid foundation upon which the NAF stands today as a pillar of Nigeria’s Defence and National Security.

"The gathering is a testament to our shared history, enduring bond and commitment to sustaining the proud legacy of the NAF through meaningful engagement with retired personnel," he said.

The AOC said that the veterans accumulated knowledge and experience remained a critical asset in shaping the future of the Service, especially at a time when the operational environment continued to evolve in complexity and intensity.

He said that over the past year, NAF had maintained a high operational tempo, executing both kinetic and non-kinetic operations across multiple theatres, in close collaboration with sister services and other security agencies.

"These operations have been underpinned by concerted efforts in fleet maintenance, personnel training, infrastructure development, and welfare enhancement, all geared towards boosting combat readiness and mission effectiveness.

"Invariably, the welfare of our veterans remains a key priority to us," he said.

Suleh said that the NAF medical facilities across the country had been mandated to cater for veterans and their immediate families.

"Also, Veterans’ Desk Officers have been appointed at all units to identify and respond to veterans’ needs.

"Additionally, steps are being taken to re-engage retired personnel and explore available welfare opportunities for them and their families," he said.

Air Vice-Marshal Nicholas Spiff Rtd. said the parley was an opportunity to sensitise veterans on the importance of healthy living after retirement.

Spiff noted that transitioning from decades of military service to civilian life could be challenging, stressing the need for regular exercise and healthy eating.

“We have gained so many skills in the military that can make us live a useful life after military service, so we should not lose hope,” he said.

Also speaking, Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Somorin Olusanya thanked the CAS for the initiative, saying he learned valuable lessons on maintaining good health through proper diet and exercise.

Similarly, MWO Babatunde Ogunbiyi expressed appreciation for the parley, noting that it gave him the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues he had not seen for many years.

He, however, appealed to the organisers to provide a larger venue at future engagements to comfortably accommodate the growing number of veterans attending the event.

Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Somorin Olusanya thanked the CAS for the initiative.

He said he learnt about eating healthy and exercising to remain strong in and after service, to remain healthy and relevant.

Also, MWO Babatunde Ogunbiyi thanked the CAS for the initiative because it afforded him the opportunity to see some of his colleagues whom he had not seen in a long while.

Ogunbiyi, however, pleaded with the organising committee to get a bigger hall to accommodate the large number of veterans for a more comfortable experience.