Audio By Carbonatix
Nigeria's cabinet has approved borrowing roughly $618 million from a group of financiers to buy six Italian-made M-346 attack jets and ammunition for the country's air force, Information Minister Mohammed Idris said on Wednesday.
Earlier this month the air force said it was acquiring 24 M-346 combat jets and 10 AW109 Trekker helicopters as part of a fleet renewal strategy.
The first three M-346 jets are expected to be delivered by early 2025, with subsequent deliveries running until mid-2026, the air force has said.
Nigeria has ramped up military spending in recent years as it struggles to contain attacks by armed bandits in the northwest and a 15-year Islamist insurgency against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast.
Latest Stories
-
One of NASA’s Artemis II astronauts, Christina Koch, once studied at University of Ghana
2 hours -
De Zerbi apologises to fans for Mason Greenwood comments
4 hours -
Italian FA head and Buffon quit over World Cup failure
4 hours -
Barcelona hit Real Madrid for six again to reach sem finals in Women’s Champions League
4 hours -
Tiger Woods crash bodycam footage released by police
4 hours -
New Brazil law allows separated couples joint custody over pets
4 hours -
Ancient golden helmet recovered more than a year after Dutch heist
5 hours -
UN tells Africa borrow, boost revenue, to fund AI pushÂ
5 hours -
British Marmalade to be re-branded in post-Brexit food deal
5 hours -
16 Kenyans missing in Russia after army recruitment
5 hours -
Iranian Nobel laureate suffered suspected heart attack in prison, family says
5 hours -
Burkina, Mali troops kill more civilians than jihadists do, data shows
6 hours -
Exit of Trump officials including FBI director Patel under discussion, Atlantic reports
6 hours -
Cuba to free 2,010 prisoners from island jails in ‘sovereign gesture’
6 hours -
Strong emergency governance framework key to saving lives – GRNMA President
6 hours