By Emmanuel Obisue
Nigeria’s Chief of the Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has underscored that fiscal discipline and accountability are not just financial obligations but critical enablers of Nigeria’s national security and the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces.
Speaking at the opening of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF Finance Conference and Retreat 2025, held at the NAF School of Finance and Accounts, NAFSFA, Ajia-Ibadan, Abubakar stressed that resource management rooted in integrity directly translates into combat readiness and institutional resilience.
He said, “When resources are managed with prudence, the NAF is better positioned to maintain readiness, train and equip personnel, and execute operational directives without financial encumbrances.”
He urged officers across all cadres to uphold accountability as a core value, describing it as fundamental to military credibility and national security.
Commending the Accounts and Budget Branch for organising the conference themed “Sustainable Resource Management for Effective Air Power Delivery”, the CAS said the retreat creates a strategic platform for innovation and knowledge-sharing to ensure judicious use of funds.
Delivering the keynote, Dr. Samuel Omenka, Special Adviser to the Director General of the Budget Office, echoed the call for disciplined budgeting, stressing that resource optimisation is indispensable given the nation’s limited resources.
Abubakar also highlighted the commissioning of the NAF School of Finance and Accounts earlier this year, describing it as a hub for building professional finance officers and strengthening national resource management. He further thanked the Oyo State Government, particularly Governor Seyi Makinde, for supporting the dualisation of the access road to the NAF Base in Ajia.
Air Vice Marshal Uche Nwagwu, Chief of Accounts and Budget, reinforced the message, noting that “every naira entrusted to us must directly translate into operational capability and national security.”
The two-day retreat, attended by senior NAF officers, finance experts, and government officials, will feature technical sessions aimed at equipping NAF finance personnel with tools to sustain fiscal discipline while advancing airpower delivery.
