ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigerian Air Force has successfully deployed 198 personnel to The Gambia as part of the Economic Community of West African States Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace and stability.
The deployment, carried out aboard a Nigerian Air Force C-130H aircraft, was executed in two coordinated sorties between May 26 and May 30, 2026. The operation facilitated the seamless rotation of Nigerian Company 10 (NIGCOY 10 ECOMIG), whose tour of duty had ended, while transporting operational equipment and the personal effects of the deployed troops.
According to a statement released by the Air Force, the mission demonstrated the service’s strategic airlift capability and its ability to rapidly deploy forces in support of peace and stability across the ECOWAS sub-region.
“The Nigerian Air Force has once again demonstrated its strategic air mobility capability with the successful airlift of 198 personnel of NIGCOY 11 ECOMIG aboard its C-130H aircraft to assume operational duties under the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia,” the statement read. “The successful mission underscores the NAF’s ability to project responsive and decisive air power beyond Nigeria’s borders, enabling rapid force deployment in support of peace, security and stability in The Gambia and across the ECOWAS sub-region.”
The Air Force noted that the operation highlighted its growing role in supporting multinational peacekeeping operations and strengthening regional security cooperation in West Africa. It added that the deployment reflected its operational readiness and reinforced Nigeria’s leadership in regional peace support efforts.
Speaking on the deployment, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, said air power remained critical to responding to evolving security challenges across the region.
“Air power delivers its greatest effect when it provides the speed, reach and flexibility to respond wherever national and regional security demands,” Aneke said. “Every successful airlift mission reinforces our commitment to protecting Nigeria’s interests, supporting regional stability and projecting a mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive air power whenever and wherever required.”
Nigeria has remained one of the largest contributors to ECOMIG since the regional force was deployed in 2017 following a political crisis that erupted after former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh initially refused to concede defeat in the 2016 presidential election. The mission was established to support democratic transition, maintain security and assist in security sector reforms in the country.
The NIGCOY 10 contingent, which was honoured with the ECOMIG Medal in a ceremony on April 22, 2026, comprised Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force personnel who had served diligently in the mission area since their induction on July 1, 2025. The successful rotation of NIGCOY 11 now ensures the continuity of Nigeria’s peacekeeping efforts in The Gambia.
