# Chief of the Air Staff (Nigeria)

The chief of the air staff (CAS) is the professional head and highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Air Force. The position is often occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The post was created in 1963 with Colonel Gerhard Kahtz of the German Air Force as the first incumbent.
The current and 22nd chief of the air staff is Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, who succeeded Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao in June 2023.

## List of chiefs

The following have served as Chief of the Air Staff:
| No. | Chief of Air Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
| 1 | Kahtz, GerhardColonel Gerhard Kahtz (born 1922) | 5 May 1963 | 11 November 1965 | 2 years, 190 days | – |
| 2 | Thimmig, WolfgangColonel Wolfgang Thimmig (1912–1976) | 24 November 1965 | 19 January 1966 | 56 days | – |
| 3 | Kurubo, GeorgeLieutenant colonel George T. Kurubo (1934–2000) | 19 January 1966 | 5 August 1967 | 1 year, 198 days | – |
| 4 | Alao, ShittuColonel Shittu Alao (1937–1969) | 5 August 1967 | 15 October 1969 † | 2 years, 71 days | – |
| 5 | Ikwue, EmmanuelBrigadier Emmanuel E Ikwue (born 1940) | 18 December 1969 | 29 July 1975 | 5 years, 223 days | – |
| 6 | Yisa, JohnAir Vice-Marshal John Nmadu Yisa-Doko (1942–2012) | 29 July 1975 | 14 April 1980 | 4 years, 260 days | – |
| 7 | Bello, AbdullahiAir Vice-Marshal Abdullahi Dominic Bello (born 1942) | 15 April 1980 | 31 December 1983 | 3 years, 260 days | – |
| 8 | Alfa, IbrahimAir Marshal Ibrahim Mahmud Alfa (1946–2000) | 1 January 1984 | 1 January 1990 | 6 years, 0 days | – |
| 9 | Yussuff, NurainiAir Vice-Marshal Nuraini Oladimeji Yussuff (1942–2006) | 1 January 1990 | 1 February 1992 | 2 years, 31 days | – |
| 10 | Dada, AkinAir Marshal Akin Dada | 1 February 1992 | 17 September 1992 | 229 days | – |
| 11 | Femi, FemiAir Vice-Marshal Femi John Femi (born 1945) | 17 September 1992 | 30 March 1996 | 3 years, 195 days | – |
| 12 | Eduok, NsikakAir Marshal Nsikak-Abasi Essien Eduok (1947–2021) | 30 March 1996 | 29 May 1999 | 3 years, 60 days | – |
| 13 | Alfa, IsaacAir Marshal Isaac Mohammed Alfa (born 1950) | 29 May 1999 | 24 April 2001 | 1 year, 330 days | – |
| 14 | Wuyep, JonahAir Marshal Jonah Domfa Wuyep (born 1948) | 24 April 2001 | 1 June 2006 | 5 years, 38 days | – |
| 15 | Dike, PaulAir Marshal Paul Dike (born 1950) later Chief of Defence Staff | 1 June 2006 | 20 August 2008 | 2 years, 80 days | – |
| 16 | Petinrin, OluseyiAir Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (born 1955) later Chief of Defence Staff | 20 August 2008 | 8 September 2010 | 2 years, 19 days | – |
| 17 | Umar, MohammedAir Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar (born 1955) | 8 September 2010 | 4 October 2012 | 2 years, 26 days | – |
| 18 | Badeh, AlexAir Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh (1957–2018) later Chief of Defence Staff | 4 October 2012 | 20 January 2014 | 1 year, 108 days | – |
| 19 | Amosu, AdesolaAir Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu (born 1958) | 20 January 2014 | 21 July 2015 | 1 year, 182 days | – |
| 20 | Abubakar, SadiqueAir Marshal Sadique Abubakar (born 1960) | 21 July 2015 | 29 January 2021 | 5 years, 192 days | – |
| 21 | Amao, IsiakaAir Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao (born 1965) | 29 January 2021 | 22 June 2023 | 2 years, 144 days | |
| 22 | Abubakar, HasanAir Marshal Hasan Abubakar (born 1970) | 22 June 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 170 days | – |