NAF involvement in the operation of the Presidential Fleet dates back to December 1978, when the Federal Government transferred the operations of all presidential aircraft hitherto controlled by Nigeria Airways, to the NAF.
An Executive Squadron was then formed under the NAF Military Airlift Wing for this purpose. Although the reasons for this transfer was not made explicit, it could not have been unrelated with the fact that the NAF was better placed to provide the security and operational flexibility required for executive flights.
Moreover, the change was more in line with the practice in most countries of the World. Be that as it may, the NAF Executive Squadron grew steadily from a Wing to become the Executive Airlift Group (EAG).
Throughout these transformations, NAF pilots, complemented by a few technical personnel seconded from Nigeria Airways, flew all the aircraft in the inventory. Meanwhile, the defunct Ministry of Special Duties and subsequently the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) exercised control over all budgetary allocations for the upkeep of EAG.
Consequent upon the abortive coup d’etat of December 1985, the Presidential Boeing 727 aircraft was withdrawn from the EAG and given to a selected crew from the Nigeria Airways to operate. This gave birth to a Presidential Fleet in 1986 headed by Captain Moses Gowon. The NAF EAG elements, however, continued to operate the remaining seven aircraft for the Government.
In January 1996, the Federal Government merged the EAG with the Civilian Presidential Fleet crew under one centralised authority, and renamed the new organisation the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF). Additionally, selected civil servants from the offices of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and that of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), were seconded to the new unit, to help establish the administrative and financial departments. The merger was premised on the belief that the large number of aircraft in the fleet which then stood at eleven, would be better administered by a centralised control for optimum utilisation, while safeguarding national security interests.
The Fleet’s primary responsibility is the provision of fast, safe and comfortable airlift for the President, the Vice President and other VIPs as may be directed by the President through the office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
To accomplish its role, the PAF is organised into a Fleet Headquarters and 5 wings namely, Operations, Engineering, Administration, Operations Services and Supply. Staff officers assist the Commander while the Wings are headed by Wing Chiefs (Equivalent of Commanding Officers in a regular NAF Unit). The Fleet Commander reports directly to HQ NAF through the Air Officer Operations. PAF’s current staff strength consists of 47 (Forty Seven) NAF officers, 173 airmen/airwomen and 96 Civilian staff, both technical and administrative.
The operational headquarters of the Fleet is located at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while the administrative personnel are at the Federal Secretariat. The Fleet has a liaison office at the Presidential Villa. Flight operations, training, aircraft maintenance and general running of the fleet are funded by the Presidency. With a current holding of eleven aircraft, the fleet has, since inception in 1996, operated a yearly average of 1900 flights accumulating a yearly average of 2140 flying hours. These missions originate mostly from the Presidency, National Assembly and the Judiciary. Others may be in furtherance of the nation’s foreign policy objectives through the Ministry of External Affairs, ECOWAS Secretariat, African Union (AU), Heads of friendly African countries, and in support of peace-making efforts within the West African sub-region. A typical example was the airlift of former President Charles Taylor of Liberia into exile in Nigeria in 2003.