Nigeria’s government has approved a loan of approximately $618 million to purchase six Italian-made M-346 attack jets along with ammunition for its air force, as announced by Information Minister Mohammed Idris on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the air force revealed plans to acquire 24 M-346 combat jets and 10 AW109 Trekker helicopters as part of its fleet modernization initiative. The first three M-346 jets are slated for delivery by early 2025, with additional deliveries expected to continue through mid-2026.
In recent years, Nigeria has significantly increased its military expenditure in response to persistent attacks from armed groups in the northwest and a prolonged Islamist insurgency led by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast.
