The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has charged 45 senior military officers who graduated from the Air War Course 12/2026 to translate their knowledge into effective planning, decision-making and leadership.

Musa gave the charge on Friday through the Senior Adviser to the Minister on Research and Development, Major General C Ofoche (retd.), at the 10th anniversary special graduation ceremony of the Air Force War College Nigeria in Makurdi, Benue State.

The graduates completed nine months of professional military education, strategic analysis and operational engagements.

They included officers from the Armed Forces of Nigeria and four allied countries — Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana and Morocco.

Musa urged the graduates to regard their graduation as the beginning of greater responsibility, while encouraging them to promote joint operations and unity of effort within the armed forces.

He also urged them to harness emerging technologies alongside sound military doctrine, capable personnel and resilient logistics.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal AY Abdullahi, reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to professional training and mission-focused capability development.

Aneke, who noted that the graduation coincided with the college’s 10th anniversary, commended the institution for its contribution to professional military education and its growing participation by Nigerian and allied officers.

He disclosed that construction of the college’s permanent site in Abuja was ongoing, adding that the next Air War Course was expected to commence at the facility.

The air chief also highlighted ongoing Nigerian Air Force fleet modernisation and the need to strengthen jointness and interoperability among the armed forces.

Earlier, the Commandant of the Air Force War College Nigeria, Air Vice Marshal GA Mbaka, described the graduation as a milestone in the institution’s decade-long contribution to operational-level military education.

Mbaka stressed the need for military leaders to understand the political, economic, technological and social dimensions of contemporary security challenges.

The ceremony featured the conferment of AFWCN Fellowship on the graduates and past commandants, presentation of certificates and awards, and the inauguration of the AFWCN Alumni Association.

The Second Edition of the Airpower Magazine and the college’s 10th anniversary year book were also launched.

The Air Force War College Nigeria was established in Makurdi in September 2016 as the Nigerian Air Force’s highest professional military institution for training senior officers in the effective employment of airpower.