In a move aimed at reducing government spending, the Presidency has proposed the sale of three presidential jets from the presidential fleet of six jets and four helicopters.
This proposal comes amidst economic challenges facing the nation.
The planes in the Presidential Fleet are Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7X, HS 4000, two Agusta 139, and two Agusta 101. The BBJ 737 is the Nigerian Air Force One, which is used exclusively by the President.
The specific details of the jets to be sold and the proposed sale process have not yet been made public. However, a government official confirmed the plans to the Nation Newspaper, owned by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, on Monday.
“The President is uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintaining the planes. Three planes have been pencilled down for disposal. The main reason is cutting down high maintenance costs,” the source said.
“I think officers in PAF were particularly concerned about the frequency of maintenance and how much it costs the nation. The President decided to let off the aircraft that constitute the most burdensome.”
A previous attempt to sell off two aircraft during the past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 did not pull through.
The potential buyers initially offered US$24 million for a Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet, but later reduced the bid to US$11 million. The offer was outrightly rejected by the Nigerian government.
Authorities are expected to provide further details on the latest proposed jet sale in the coming days if the plans are concluded.
Ezinwanne Onwuka, senior staff reporter and columnist with WAP is a Nigerian-based writer and content developer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Her interests include reading, writing, researching and graphic designing.
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