TINUBU GAINS ON SECURITY. MONTH OF MAY SECURITY UPDATES FROM DEFENCE HQ
Blog post description.
6/23/20261 min read
Here’s a breakdown of major equipment/weapons acquired under Tinubu’s administration, grouped by service. Most acquisitions started as contracts under Buhari but deliveries/activation accelerated 2023-2025.
1. Nigerian Army
Armoured/Mobility
- MRAPs/Armoured vehicles: Delivery of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles prioritized for North-East ops. Exact numbers not public, but MRAPs were among assets “mobilized” since May 2023.
- Patrol vehicles: Additional patrol vehicles for counterinsurgency deployed.
Artillery/Infantry support
- Budget allocations to defence include artillery, ammunition, and infantry equipment, though service-specific splits aren’t published.
2. Nigerian Air Force (NAF)
Aircraft deliveries – mostly from deals initiated earlier:
1. 12 x AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters – Deal with U.S. worth $1bn. Deliveries ongoing under Tinubu.
2. 24 x M-346 Light Attack/Advanced Trainer Jets – Italian aircraft, part of post-2023 procurement.
3. 50 x New helicopters – Announced for delivery 2024-2025. Type not specified; likely mix of utility/attack.
4. 12 x A-29 Super Tucano – Already delivered under Buhari, but NAF continues operational use and sustainment.
Role: Focus on precision strike, ISR, and close air support in North-East & North-West.
3. Nigerian Navy
Vessels & maritime security:
- Offshore Patrol Vessels OPVs – 2 new OPVs delivered.
- 17 x Fast Patrol Boats – Acquired for coastal/anti-piracy ops.
- 3 x Helicopters – For naval aviation/maritime surveillance.
- 6 x Unmanned Surface Vessels USVs – For maritime domain awareness.
- 10 x Unmanned Aerial Vehicles UAVs – For surveillance.
Other: N57bn was part of 2024 supplementary budget for purchasing fighter jets and ammunition across services.
Cross-Service / General
1. Ammunition & sustainment: Large budget lines for ammunition to keep ops going in North-East.
2. UAVs/Drones: Procurement of surveillance drones emphasized for intelligence gathering.
3. 2024 Supplementary Budget: N57bn for fighter jets + ammunition. 2025 budget also earmarked funds for aircraft, vessels, and UAVs.
Notes:
1. Many big-ticket items like AH-1Z Vipers, M-346 jets, OPVs were contracted under Buhari but Tinubu’s govt pushed delivery/funding 2023-2025.
2. Tinubu govt has emphasized “expedited delivery” of pending orders and increased budget allocations for maintenance/spares vs new buys.
3. Exact quantities/costs for Army equipment are less public than NAF/Navy because land systems purchases are often bundled.