AT least 60 people have been killed in Nigerian military aircraft crashes since 2015, while several aircraft worth millions of dollars have been destroyed, an analysis of reported incidents by The ICIR reveals.

The incidents, involving fighter jets, helicopters, training aircraft and surveillance planes, have occurred during combat operations, training exercises, routine flights and maintenance test flights, according to data garnered from media reports in the last 11 years.

While some of the crashes recorded no casualties, others claimed the lives of military personnel, civilians and passengers.

The latest and deadliest incident within the period occurred on October 5, 2026, when a Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 aircraft crashed near Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The Nigerian Air Force subsequently confirmed that 25 people were aboard the aircraft – five crew members and 20 passengers.

The crash has renewed attention on the safety of Nigeria’s military aviation operations and the financial implications of losing aircraft that are often worth millions of dollars.

Timeline of military aircraft crashes

Millions of dollars’ worth of aircraft lost

Beyond the human cost, the crashes have also destroyed aircraft whose estimated acquisition or replacement values run into millions of dollars.

For six aircraft involved in incidents between July 2023 and October 2026 for which public price references can be identified, The ICIR’s preliminary estimate puts their combined indicative value at roughly $51 million to $80 million.

The recent aircraft crash, identified as NAF 931, was an ATR 42-500 variant used by the Air Force for maritime surveillance and related missions. Publicly available aviation-market estimates put the value of a used ATR 42-500 at between about $4.5 million and $9.7 million, depending on age, condition and configuration.

Conklin & de Decker, an aviation research and consulting firm that provides aircraft cost, performance and valuation data, lists the standard ATR 42-500’s acquisition cost at $8.9 million. Because the Nigerian aircraft was configured for military surveillance, rather than ordinary passenger service, its replacement value could differ significantly from that of a standard used ATR 42-500.

On December 6, 2025, an Alpha Jet crashed near Karabonde in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State during a post-inspection functional check flight. The two pilots ejected safely and there were no reported fatalities. The Nigerian Air Force subsequently said it had constituted a Board of Inquiry to investigate the incident.

The Alpha Jet is a French-German trainer and light-attack aircraft that has been in the Nigerian Air Force fleet since the 1980s. For an indication of its value, a 2016 Nigerian government investigation into military procurement found that the Office of the National Security Adviser funded the purchase of four used Alpha Jets for the NAF for $7.18 million. 

Dividing the total procurement cost by the four aircraft gives an average of about $1.8 million per jet. The figure reflects the cost of used aircraft procured at the time, which is used in The ICIR’s estimate.

Also, The ICIR gathered that the Super Mushshak, crashed in 2024, is manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and is marketed for military and civilian training. 

A current market price for the aircraft, however, is difficult to establish from publicly available procurement records. A Pakistani aviation website lists the Super Mushshak for sale at PKR 6 million (about ₦29 million or US$21,600) at the current exchange rate), but explicitly describes the figure as an “unofficial estimate” and cautions that the actual price may differ. Compared with the prices of other aircraft, the stated price appears unrealistic.

Pakistan has also sold the aircraft to several countries, including Nigeria and Turkey, but publicly available reports on those deals do not provide a standalone aircraft price. Nigeria’s 2016 deal was reported at an estimated $10.2 million for up to 10 aircraft, while the contract also included operational training and technical support. 

In December 2023, a Nigerian Air Force Mi-35P helicopter crash-landed at the NAF Base in Port Harcourt. 

Available military-aviation references put the cost of a new or modernised Mi-35P at roughly $12 million to $36 million, depending on the production year, configuration and whether weapons, maintenance and other support are included. 

Earlier, on August 14, 2023, a Nigerian Air Force Mi-171 helicopter crashed near Chukuba village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State while on a casualty evacuation mission. The NAF said the helicopter had departed Zungeru Primary School for Kaduna before it crashed.

Publicly advertised sales provide an indication of the aircraft’s value. AirSPS currently lists 2022 Mi-171E helicopters at $17 million each, while a 2025 Mi-171E is listed at $20.5 million on Aircraft 24. 

On July 14, 2023, an FT-7NI trainer aircraft operated by the Nigerian Air Force crashed in Makurdi, Benue State, during a routine training exercise. The two pilots ejected from the aircraft and survived. 

The FT-7NI was part of Nigeria’s F-7 fleet acquired from China under a procurement approved in 2005. The deal covered 12 F-7NI single-seat fighter aircraft and three FT-7NI two-seat trainers and was reported at $251 million by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an independent research institute based in Sweden that studies conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.

SIPRI’s database tracks international transfers of major conventional weapons and provides information on the type, number and, where available, value of weapons transferred. 

Mustapha USMAN

Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M