Abuja: The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has announced that fitness assessments are now mandatory for career progression within the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). This statement was made during the 2025 edition of the NAF 10km Walk/Jog Exercise held in Abuja, an event aimed at promoting health, morale, and operational readiness among NAF personnel.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the exercise is part of NAF’s annual fitness program designed to ensure airmen and airwomen remain physically and mentally equipped for the rigorous demands of military service. Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized that maintaining physical fitness should be seen not only as a requirement for promotion but as a personal responsibility for health and readiness. He also revealed that NAF is upgrading sporting facilities across its formations, following resolutions from the inaugural Directorate of Sports and Physical Education Workshop.
Additionally, plans are underway to establish a Sports Control Board to enhance sports development across NAF units. Abubakar urged commanders to encourage participation in local sporting events to foster civil-military relations and enhance the NAF’s public image. He praised the NAF Handball Team for their success in the Nigeria Division One League and subsequent promotion to the Premier League, as well as the football team for winning the Nigeria Union of Journalists Football Tournament in Abuja. The CAS also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support, reiterating the service’s commitment to excellence, teamwork, and national defense.
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, commended the NAF for integrating physical fitness into its operational culture, highlighting sports as a crucial pillar of national strength and unity. Dikko lauded the personnel’s enthusiasm and endurance, noting that their participation exemplifies the service’s core values of being ‘Willing, Able and Ready.’ He acknowledged the CAS’s visionary leadership, which has led to significant advancements, including the enhancement of sporting facilities, the revival of the Inter-Command Sports Competition, and youth programs.
Dikko cited the recent victories of the NAF Handball and Football Teams as evidence of excellence, teamwork, and the holistic development of personnel in terms of body, mind, and spirit. He stressed that sports and fitness are strategic investments in the health, morale, and performance of the nation’s defenders, asserting that every effort towards fitness strengthens not only the individual but also the service and the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the exercise included a 10-kilometer jog for personnel below 40 years of age and a 10-kilometer walk for those above 40. Winners in both male and female categories were awarded prizes for their achievements.