Nigeria acquires Alpha Jets from France

On 4 December 2024, General Hasan Abubakar, Chief of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), announced the purchase of twelve second-hand Alpha Jet E aircraft from the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (AAE, French Air and Space Force).

Six Alpha Jets will be refurbished and made operational, while the remaining six will serve as a source of spare parts.

Paris seeks to bolster its cooperation with Nigeria. This effort was highlighted by the state visit of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to France, the first such visit since 2000.

France and Nigeria’s defence ties, initially modest, advanced significantly in June 2016 with a defence cooperation agreement that focused on intelligence sharing, training, and operational preparation. This partnership continues to evolve, most recently marked by Nigeria’s acquisition of second-hand military equipment from France.

Originally used for training, France has been replacing the Alpha Jet with the PC-21 Pilatus, leaving surplus aircraft available for sale. The twelve aircraft will be refurbished by SOFEMA (Société française d’exportation de matériel militaire et aéronautique). The company is specialised in the renovation, marketing and maintenance of first generation land, sea and air equipment, mainly from material sourced from the French Armed Forces.

The NAF has been utilising Alpha Jets since the 1980s for pilot training and close air support missions against insurgents and militants. Out of the 24 jets initially acquired, only about eight remain in service. Fifteen aircraft were lost in combat or accidents over the years. Five additional Alpha Jets were acquired from the USA in 2015, of which one crashed.

Credit photo: Hans van Herk