New acquisitions proposed in Nigeria’s 2018 defence budget

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Nigeria’s military aims to acquire a number of new assets with its proposed 2018 budget, including small boats, tugs and helicopters.

The proposed 2018 budget would allocate N567 billion ($1.5 billion) to defence, including N145 billion ($400 million) for capital expenditure and N422.43 billion ($1.16 billion) for salaries and overheads. The budget proposal was published in November last year. The 2018 Appropriation Bill may only be passed in the second quarter of this year.

For the Nigerian Army, the budget would allocate N1 billion ($2.7 million) as a 40% downpayment for the purchase of three AS350 light utility helicopters at $2.8 million each. The Army also hopes to acquire 25 infantry patrol vehicles for N300 million ($826 000).

New items in the proposed 2018 budget for the Nigerian Navy include N18 million ($50 000) for the procurement of four ‘whaler boats’ and N481 million ($1.3 million) for the procurement of two tug boats.

Funding has been proposed for a number of existing projects, including N5.9 billion ($16 million) for the ongoing procurement of two LSTs (Landing Ships, Tank); N3.4 billion ($9 million) for the ongoing procurement of a hydrographic survey ship; N3.5 billion ($9.6 million) for the procurement of a 38 metre Seaward Defence Boat; N271 million ($746 000) for the remaining RHIBs being acquired from Nautic Africa; N1.2 billion ($3.3 million) for the balance of the acquisition of three 24 metre OCEA boats from France; N815 million ($2.2 million) for the ongoing procurement of 50 flat bottom boats; N333 million ($917 000) for the ongoing acquisition of a single unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); N3.4 billion ($9.3 million) for eight 17 metre inshore patrol craft and N630 million ($1.7 million) for 20 RHIBs.

There are only a few acquisitions in the Air Force’s proposed 2018 budget including N6.8 billion ($18.7 million) for the ongoing procurement of two AW109 Power helicopters and N13 billion ($35 million) as part payment for the procurement of three JF-17 Thunder jets from Pakistan. The 2018 budget also proposes N1.3 billion ($3.5 million) for maintenance for two Alpha Jets and N2 billion ($5.5 million) for C-130 maintenance.

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