NAF Approves Up to 12 Months’ Salary for Families of Fallen Personnel

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has approved a new policy that will allow families of personnel who die in the line of duty to continue receiving the deceased officer’s salary for up to 12 months after death.

The policy was approved by the Chief of the Air Staff, Sunday Aneke, as part of broader efforts to strengthen welfare support for families of fallen service members.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a senior NAF official, who spoke anonymously, said the measure is designed to support spouses or next of kin while death benefits are being processed.

Under existing public service rules, salary payments typically stop immediately after the death of a personnel. However, the new arrangement ensures that salaries of those killed in active service will continue from the date of death for up to 12 months, or until all death benefits and entitlements have been fully processed and paid, whichever comes first.

Speaking on the initiative, Aneke said the move is intended to ease the economic burden on bereaved families and reaffirm the Air Force’s commitment to the welfare of its personnel.

He said the measures are meant to cushion the impact of prevailing economic pressures and form part of a wider welfare reform agenda built on the belief that the wellbeing of personnel and their families is critical to operational effectiveness.

According to him, improved welfare strengthens combat readiness by ensuring that no airman is left unequipped, untrained or unmotivated.

The Air Force leadership also approved additional welfare packages for officers, airmen and airwomen, although details of those packages were not immediately disclosed.

The policy comes amid growing concern over the dangers faced by Nigerian military personnel deployed to counter-insurgency and internal security operations across the country.

The rising death toll and the complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges have intensified calls for stronger welfare protection for service members and their families.

In recent years, the military and the Federal Government have announced several support measures for families of fallen personnel.

During the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, more than N300 million was donated to support military veterans, injured personnel and families of fallen soldiers. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu donated N200 million to the Nigerian Legion, while the National Assembly, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, donated N100 million. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, also contributed N20 million.

Following the killing of 17 Nigerian Army personnel in Okuama, Delta State, Tinubu announced scholarships up to university level for the children of the slain soldiers, including those yet unborn. He also directed that all death benefits be paid within 90 days and pledged a house in any part of the country to each affected family.

Earlier, in 2023, the President approved N18 billion for group life assurance benefits and other entitlements for families of armed forces personnel who died in active service.