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In a move underscoring Nigeria’s renewed commitment to modernizing its defence infrastructure and strengthening the operational readiness of its armed forces, the Honourable Minister of Defence, His Excellency Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, CON, mni, on Friday inspected the ongoing production of state-of-the-art helicopters and fighter jets for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the facilities of Leonardo S.p.A in Northern Italy.

The visit formed part of the Minister’s activities as a member of the high-level delegation accompanying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on his official visit to Rome for the AQABA Process Meeting — a strategic multilateral platform focused on security cooperation.

During the inspection, Badaru Abubakar toured two key Leonardo production facilities — the Leonardo Helicopters Division in Vergiate, and the Leonardo Aircraft Division in Venegono (VA).

At the Vergiate facility, the Minister was briefed on the progress of the AW109 Trekker attack helicopters being assembled for the Nigerian Air Force. He observed the assembly lines, interacted with Leonardo’s senior engineers, and inspected the completed aircraft scheduled for delivery.

According to production updates provided by Leonardo, three of the ten AW109 Trekker helicopters are already fully completed and ready for acceptance and delivery to the NAF. An additional three units are expected to be completed before the end of 2025, while the remaining four will be ready for handover in early 2026.

The inspection also extended to the Leonardo Aircraft Division in Venegono, where the Minister assessed the ongoing production of the M-346 Fighter Attack Jets, part of Nigeria’s latest high-value procurement under the Tinubu administration’s defence modernization programme.

Leonardo’s management briefed the delegation that six of the twenty-four M-346 Fighter Attack Jets ordered by Nigeria are already in advanced stages of assembly. Of these, three are currently undergoing flight tests, while the other three are expected to begin testing soon.

The full package of twenty-four aircraft is to be delivered in four tranches of six units each, complete with armaments, ground support equipment, spare parts, maintenance tools, and comprehensive training and logistics support services.

Speaking after the inspection, the Defence Minister expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work at the facilities. He commended Leonardo’s technical team for maintaining high standards in the assembly and testing processes, assuring that the Nigerian government remains committed to ensuring timely completion and delivery.

> “The Tinubu administration is fully committed to strengthening the operational capabilities of the Nigerian Armed Forces through strategic investments, international collaboration, and technology transfer. What we have seen here today is a clear testament to that vision,” Badaru Abubakar stated.

The inspection tour is part of a broader initiative by the Ministry of Defence to deepen partnerships with global defence manufacturers, boost local technical capacity, and ensure the effective deployment of modern military platforms to enhance Nigeria’s national security architecture.

The Ministry emphasized that these new assets — once delivered — will significantly improve the Nigerian Air Force’s capacity to conduct precision operations, counter emerging security threats, and support ground and naval forces in joint missions.

The visit, which concluded with a technical review session between the Nigerian delegation and Leonardo’s management team, was described as a major step toward consolidating Nigeria’s defence diplomacy and fostering sustainable military-industrial cooperation with leading global partners.

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