Nigeria’s cabinet has approved a loan of approximately $618 million to purchase six Italian-made M-346 attack jets and ammunition for the air force, as announced by Information Minister Mohammed Idris on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the air force indicated plans to acquire 24 M-346 combat jets and 10 AW109 Trekker helicopters as part of a fleet modernization initiative.
The first three M-346 jets are set to be delivered by early 2025, with additional deliveries scheduled through mid-2026, according to the air force.
In recent years, Nigeria has significantly increased its military spending to combat armed banditry in the northwest and a prolonged Islamist insurgency by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast.
