The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has achieved a significant milestone with the successful restoration of a Dornier DO-228 aircraft that had been grounded since 2001. The aircraft, originally used by the now-defunct Ministry of Mines, Power, and Steel, was left inactive at a Kaduna facility for 23 years.
Acting on a Presidential directive to assess and revive grounded assets, a team from the NAF 431 Engineering Group, comprising five engineering officers and 40 technicians, began work on the project in June 2024. After months of diligent effort, the aircraft, now designated “NAF-039,” was returned to full operational status in September 2024.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, commended the engineers for their exceptional work, describing the project as a demonstration of NAF’s advancing technical expertise and its commitment to achieving self-reliance.
This achievement strengthens NAF’s fleet and enhances its tactical airlift capabilities, aligning with the Force’s broader goals of operational efficiency, resource optimisation, and national security. The restored aircraft also highlights Nigeria’s growing prominence in indigenous aviation maintenance across the African continent.
