| No. |
Portrait |
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 | [2] |
| 22 | | Abubakar, HasanAir Marshal
Hasan Abubakar
(born 1970) | 22 June 2023 | Incumbent | 292 days | – |
