Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has carried out an on-site inspection of aircraft production facilities in Italy where helicopters and fighter jets ordered for the Nigerian Air Force are being built.
The inspection formed part of activities during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s official visit to Rome for the AQABA Process Meeting.
At the Leonardo Helicopters Division in Vergiate, the Minister inspected the assembly of the AW109 Trekker attack helicopters designed to boost the Air Force’s tactical operations.
He then visited the Leonardo Aircraft Division in Venegono, where the M-346 Fighter Attack Jets for Nigeria are currently under production.
During the tour, the Minister observed flight test procedures, inspected assembly lines, and received detailed technical briefings from Leonardo’s engineers and management team.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress made, noting that six of the twenty-four M-346 jets are already at advanced stages with three undergoing flight tests.
The rest, according to Leonardo, will follow in structured batches of six aircraft each, complete with weapons systems, spare parts, and training packages.
On the helicopter side, three of the ten AW109 units are fully ready for delivery, with additional batches expected by the end of 2025 and early 2026.
The visit, officials say, highlights the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to modernizing Nigeria’s defence infrastructure through strategic international partnerships and sustained investment in military capability.
