NAF establishes Veterans’ Well-Being Centres, launches youth empowerment portal
By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Nigerian Air Force has announced plans to establish dedicated Veterans’ Well-Being Centres nationwide as part of renewed efforts to strengthen the welfare, security and socio-economic empowerment of its veterans and their families.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, gave the assurance on Saturday in Abuja at the CAS Parley with NAF Veterans.
He was represented at the event by the Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Anthony Martins, who conveyed the Air Force leadership’s position on the initiative.
Aneke said the NAF regarded its veterans as critical assets whose sacrifices laid the foundation for the Service’s present achievements and future growth.
He urged them to continue offering guidance and constructive feedback to the leadership.
He announced that the NAF was institutionalising the CAS Youth Empowerment Programme, aligning it with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for youth development to provide a clear legal and operational framework.
According to him, the programme, now live on an online portal, is open to dependants of serving, retired and deceased NAF personnel.
“Applicants are required to upload a valid Personnel Occurrence Report (POR) to confirm affiliation with the Air Force family.
“The scheme has two major streams, including a fellowship programme for graduates, where beneficiaries will receive technical training, soft skills, mentorship and stipends,” he said.
The CAS added that engagements with several Federal Government agencies had yielded commitments to support and market products and services emerging from the NAF community, noting that barracks communities should be seen as centres of capacity and potential, not liabilities.
On veterans’ administration, he disclosed plans to establish Veteran Well-Being Centres as one-stop hubs for welfare matters, documentation, healthcare coordination and social integration.
The air chief explained that the centres would reduce direct interface between veterans and service providers, in line with international best practice, while ensuring dignity and efficiency in service delivery.
The NAF, he said, was also leveraging technology to improve records management and communication with veterans, including the introduction of help desks and digital platforms to address special needs such as changes of next of kin.
He thanked the veterans for their continued engagement and assured them that consultations would be deepened, stressing that Nigeria stood to gain immensely from veterans’ institutional memory and experience.
Aneke encouraged veterans to publicise the youth empowerment portal among eligible dependants, adding that selection would be transparent and merit-based once applications close later in the month.
The parley provided an interactive platform for veterans to share concerns and offer recommendations on welfare, security and post-service integration.
It also featured health talk, lectures on post service personal development, as well as free medical check-up among other things (NAN)
