Nigeria Puts 3 Presidential Jets Up for Sale

FG lists three presidential jets for sale

Nigeria's federal government puts three presidential jets up for sale to reduce fleet maintenance costs and purchase a new aircraft. The move follows a recommendation by the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

Three presidential jets will be sold by the federal government in an effort to cut back on exorbitant fleet maintenance costs.

This follows the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence's suggestion to buy the President and Vice President each two new planes.

Shehu Buba Umar, the head of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, concurs with this counsel.

The current presidential air fleet, which consists of six airplanes and four helicopters, will be reduced by selling the three aircraft.

A Boeing 737 Business Jet (BBJ), a Gulfstream G550, a Gulfstream GV, and other aircraft are part of the fleet under the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which is run by the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).

It is necessary to get rid of the most troublesome aircraft because sources stated that at least half of the fleet is made up of unusable or malfunctioning aircraft. The president's designated Boeing 737 BBJ, a Gulfstream, and a Falcon 7x are the aircraft that are listed for sale.

The US-based airline marketer JetHQ has been designated by the federal government as the sale's broker. JetHQ has been given permission to value and promote the aircraft through the signing of an exclusive marketing agreement. The sale's proceeds will be utilized to buy a new aircraft for the fleet, although a search is still being conducted for a more affordable model.

“We noted the lawmakers' report and recommendation. However, we cannot afford to buy two aircraft simultaneously, even with the sales. The approval now is to find one affordable jet, supplementing with the sale proceeds,” a senior fleet management official said.

Additionally, it leaked out that JetHQ has sent the NSA three bids from buyers for review. “We have one offer for the Falcon X and two for the BBJ. But rather than jumping into a terrible contract, the NSA insists on pushing for a better one, according to an anonymous PAF officer involved in the process.”

The NSA's Zakari Mijinyawa verified the process of disposal in progress, although he did not elaborate.

Concerns over safety on board the planes carrying Nigerian presidents have centered on the state of the presidential aviation fleet. Other fleet aircraft must be used while the president's BBJ is undergoing maintenance, which has been ongoing since March.

The purchase of new planes to address these difficulties is supported by federal MPs and some Nigerians, but others feel that it would be callous considering the current state of the economy. On the other hand, legislators stress that everyone in Nigeria should put their safety—including the president and other public officials—first.