With billions spent on foreign arms while poverty worsens, with little improvement in security outcomes; a growing number of international development partners and donor agencies are voicing serious concerns over the Nigerian government’s soaring defense expenditures under President Bola Tinubu, warning that continued prioritization of military procurement over social services could undermine long-term stability, economic recovery, and human development, which risks plunging Nigeria into violent social unrests, and possible implosion; multiple sources have told Huhuonline.com.
In recent months, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has inducted a wave of new high-cost combat aircraft and surveillance platforms, including Turkish-made T-129 ATAK helicopters, Chinese Wing Loong II drones, and the Beechcraft King Air 360ER. More purchases are in the pipeline, with the government finalizing deals for $1 billion worth of American AH-1Z Viper helicopters, and 24 Leonardo M-346 fighter jets from Italy. In total, Nigeria is expected to induct 46 additional aircraft before the end of 2026, according to procurement documents reviewed by Huhuonline.com.
Last February, Vice President Kashim Shettima attended the induction ceremony of two T-129s (NAF 500 and NAF 501) as well as a Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft (NAF 205) at NAF Base Makurdi, expressing confidence that the deployment of the new platforms would significantly assist the NAF address security challenges, both domestically and within the West African region. Speaking at that event, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, said the induction ceremony was testimony of the Federal Government’s resolve to reequip the NAF in line with combating terrorism and other threats. NAF is operating an increasingly diverse range of combat helicopters. In addition to its seven Mil Mi-24V/P ‘Hind-E/F’ and 17 Mi-35M/P ‘Hind-E/F’ gunships, it is getting 12 Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for nearly $1 billion.
Abubakar said since Tinubu entered office in May 2023, “the NAF has inducted five new aircraft into its fleet, including two Diamond DA 62 surveillance aircraft, two T-129 ATAK helicopters, and a King Air 360ER. The first two T-129s were delivered from Turkish Aerospace Industries in November 2023; the remainder are expected before the second quarter of 2024. They will be operated by the 115th Special Operations Group at Port Harcourt. A follow-up order for another six may be placed.” NAF deliveries from 2015 include ten Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, five Mi-35M attack helicopters, two Bell 412 transport helicopters, four A109 Power utility helicopters, two Mi-171E transport helicopters, three JF–17 Thunder multi–role fighters, 12 A–29 Super Tucano combat/trainer aircraft and numerous unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs).”
According to two sources close to the World Bank and the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), several key international partners have raised red flags in bilateral meetings with Nigerian government officials; and in confidential assessments, describing the pattern of increased defense spending; often funded through foreign debt, as “unsustainable” and “poorly aligned with Nigeria’s most urgent needs.” “What we see is a government borrowing heavily to finance external arms deals, while failing to invest in basic human development,” one donor representative told Huhuonline.com on condition of anonymity. “Security cannot be built on fighter jets alone. It must begin with feeding people, educating children, and reducing inequality.”
The Nigerian Air Force plans to induct 46 new aircraft of various types over the next 18 months. It is believed that these include two AW109 Trekker helicopters from Leonardo Helicopters, two King Air 360 twin turboprops, four DA 62 surveillance aircraft, six T-129 helicopters, three Wing Loong II unmanned aerial vehicles, two Airbus C295 transport aircraft, 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters, and 24 Leonardo M-346 trainer/attack aircraft. The Nigerian Army, meanwhile, is acquiring 12 MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters from MD Helicopters. The NAF received the last of its four DA 62 aircraft in October 2023, and these are fitted with Hensoltd Argos II HDT electro-optical gimbals. Since the first arrived in February 2023, they have been deployed to operating theatres in support of ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in troubled areas within the country.
Despite the massive investments in military hardware, the security situation in much of the country remains volatile. Armed banditry continues to plague the North-West, violent attacks by insurgents persist in the North-East, and incidents of kidnapping and oil theft show little signs of abating. Some donor analysts have characterized the defense build-up as “more symbolic than strategic,” with few measurable improvements in national security.
Independent security experts have also raised concerns about the operational readiness of Nigerian forces to fully utilize the newly acquired platforms. In particular, questions have been raised about whether NAF pilots have received adequate technical training to operate advanced systems like the T-129 ATAK helicopters. “There are credible indications that key personnel lack the requisite training for these aircraft, which could render them ineffective or underutilized,” said Dr. Muktar Aliyu, a defense analyst at the Abuja Policy Forum. “Without comprehensive human capacity development, these are just expensive ornaments.”
Meanwhile, social conditions in Nigeria continue to deteriorate. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, over 133 million Nigerians – more than 60% of the population – are living in multidimensional poverty. The World Food Program estimates that over 26.5 million Nigerians are facing acute food insecurity in 2025, with worsening inflation, high unemployment, and the removal of fuel subsidies pushing more families into hardship.
Civil society organizations are also joining the chorus of concern. A joint statement released this month by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgIT, and the Nigerian Human Rights Commission called on the Tinubu administration to publish a full breakdown of all military procurement deals since 2023, warning of “opaque contracting processes, inflated costs, and misplaced priorities.” “The Nigerian government must urgently re-align its budget toward people-centered development,” the statement read. “We cannot fight poverty with helicopters. We need policies that reflect the realities of millions of suffering Nigerians.”
Despite these warnings, officials in the Ministry of Defense have defended the administration’s spending, citing the need to “modernize and professionalize” the armed forces in the face of complex asymmetric threats. In a recent statement, NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said the procurement of new platforms “enhances our capability to respond to evolving security challenges.”
However, development economists argue that true national security is inseparable from economic inclusion and social investment. “No country can bomb its way out of poverty,” said Dr. Fatima Yakubu of the African Centre for Development Policy. “Security begins when a child can eat, go to school, and dream of a better life. Nigeria must invest in its people – not just in its arsenals.”
As Nigeria’s debt servicing costs continue to climb and donor patience wears thin, observers warn that continued defense-heavy budgets may alienate key international partners and jeopardize broader development assistance. For a nation already struggling under the weight of inflation, weak infrastructure, and a growing youth bulge, the stakes could not be higher.
