The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has declared that physical fitness is now a mandatory requirement for career progression in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).1
The CAS made the statement during the 2025 edition of the NAF 10km Walk/Jog Exercise held in Abuja and across other NAF formations nationwide.
Fitness as a Prerequisite for Promotion
- Mandatory Assessment: Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized that personnel must take physical fitness seriously, stating explicitly that “fitness assessments are mandatory for career progression in the NAF.” This reiterates the policy that promotions are tied directly to an individual’s medical and physical readiness.2
- Operational Readiness: The CAS stressed that the annual 10km Walk/Jog Exercise is an integral part of the service’s commitment to keeping airmen and airwomen physically and mentally prepared for the demands of military service and operational effectiveness.3
- Sports Development: To support this focus on fitness, the NAF is upgrading sporting facilities across its bases and plans to establish a Sports Control Board to drive sports development across all units.4
The exercise itself featured a 10-kilometer jog for personnel below 40 years of age and a 10-kilometer walk for those above 40, culminating in prizes for top performers in both male and female categories.
