By Harriet Tornguvan
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening African led security cooperation and collective responses to terrorism, insurgency and other emerging threats across the continent at the 2026 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium held in Tunis, Tunisia.
The symposium, organised by the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF) from May 11 to 15, brought together Air Chiefs, senior military leaders and strategic partners from across Africa to deepen collaboration in airpower development, interoperability and coordinated security operations aimed at promoting peace, stability and sustainable development.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, chaired the high-level gathering and stressed the importance of collective action in confronting Africa’s growing security challenges.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Aneke said the symposium’s theme, “Operationalizing the Association of African Air Forces: A New Era of Shared Responsibility,” underscored the urgent need for African nations to jointly develop practical and sustainable solutions to evolving threats.
He noted that terrorism, insurgency, transnational organised crime and humanitarian crises continue to undermine peace and economic prosperity across Africa, making stronger partnerships, intelligence sharing and enhanced operational coordination among African air forces increasingly necessary.
According to the Air Chief, no nation can independently address the continent’s complex and evolving security environment.
“Our collective strength lies in our ability to work together, share capabilities and build a united front against forces that threaten the peace and prosperity of our continent,” Aneke said.
The CAS described the symposium as another major step toward strengthening the operationalisation of the AAAF through active participation and shared commitment by member states.
He highlighted the successful Table-Top Exercise conducted during the 2025 African Air Chiefs’ Symposium in Zambia as a significant milestone toward the planned Field Training Exercise scheduled for Kenya in February 2027. Aneke said such exercises remain critical to improving interoperability, operational readiness and coordinated responses to both security and humanitarian challenges across Africa.
The symposium featured strategic presentations and engagements focused on enhancing the effectiveness and responsiveness of African air forces in tackling contemporary security threats.
On the sidelines of the event, Aneke held several bilateral and multilateral meetings with partner air forces and international stakeholders to strengthen cooperation in training, joint exercises, intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism operations.
The engagements, according to the statement, reinforced the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to expanding strategic partnerships that support ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations while promoting regional stability.
In a major outcome of the gathering, Air Marshal Aneke was unanimously re-elected Chairman of the Association of African Air Forces for another two-year term, a development seen as a vote of confidence in his leadership and strategic direction for the organisation.
During the closing ceremony, the Air Chief said the symposium had provided an important platform for addressing evolving security threats and strengthening cooperation toward collective airpower development across the continent.
He emphasised the need for sustained political support, improved intelligence sharing, interoperability, air mobility, logistics cooperation and indigenous capacity development to enhance operational readiness and long-term sustainability.
The Tunis symposium, observers noted, reflects a growing determination among African nations to pursue lasting peace, security and prosperity through partnership, innovation and collective action against terrorism and insecurity.
