Another luxury Nigeria cannot afford, By Majeed Dahiru

The presidency of a poorly governed and thoroughly mismanaged country such as Nigeria that is home to the largest number of poor people in the world does not deserve and cannot afford a fleet of aircraft for the use of its leaders and their family. President Tinubu should use this opportunity to show a good example of how to sacrifice in the face of economic down turn, by not only disbanding the presidential fleet but also jettisoning the idea of replacing them with new aircraft.

The first indication that Nigeria’s apex political leadership is about to take its insensitive profligacy to an all time high was when news filtered in that the National Assembly is considering making budgetary provisions for the purchase of a new jet for the use of the President Ahmed Tinubu. According to reports, the current presidential fleet of about a dozen aircraft has aged and the aero safety and security of the number one citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can no longer be guaranteed. Considering the current economic crisis that has plunged Nigerians into an all-time low socio-economic destitution, poverty, hunger and misery, I had thought that this was a humourless joke. But what started as a joke that is not funny may be becoming a cruel one.

In an exclusive report by Premium Times newspaper, it was revealed that the Nigerian government is already making a bid for an Airbus A330 luxury aircraft. This air plane was said to have been repossessed from an “unnamed” Arabian business man, who used it as a collateral for a loan from a German bank, after he defaulted on his repayments obligation. Now in the possession of L&L International LLC, an American aviation company, this “tokunbo” aircraft is said to be worth about $600 million (N902,000,000,000), while the Nigerian government is reported to have offered about $100 million (N150,450,000,000) for it. With a rubber stamp National Assembly waiting to return the favour of having its budget for luxury SUVs worth hundreds of millions of naira approved by the executive branch, President Tinubu may soon be flying round the world in a luxury Airbus A330, as soon as his government strikes a deal with the sellers of the second hand aircraft.

In addition to his refusal to cut the cost of governance, reduce waste, shun profligacy and tame corruption after he removed subsidy on petrol, leading to a devaluation of the naira, including the raising of tariffs on electricity and imposing all forms of levies and taxes on citizens, President Tinubu has raised the bar of insensitivity and leadership irresponsibility by even contemplating the thought of buying a new presidential jet at this time in Nigeria. Whereas, the economic policies, or should I say idiocies, of government have created unprecedented levels of economic hardships that have culminated into a cost of existence crisis that President Tinubu appears clueless on how to resolve, the official squandering of Nigeria’s limited financial resources has continued in a manner that clearly shows that Nigeria’s political leaders are like drunken sailors in charge of a sinking ship of state.

The high point of President Tinubu’s calamitous economic policies is that, whereas it has driven the cost of existence to the highest level in living memory, through out of the roof inflation, the devaluation of the naira, in addition to the prevailing inflationary rates, these have all combined to erode the finances of government, leaving it high on what Professor Soludo terms the “money illusion.” The most far-reaching effect of this money illusion is that President Tinubu’s government has been unable to pay Nigerian workers even an “existence wage.” It is currently lost at sea in terms of how to navigate its finances to arrive at a minimum wage. While he has not been able to resolve the issue of the much needed upward review of the national minimum, which currently stands at $19 (N30,000) a month, President Tinubu is prioritising the purchase a $600 million luxury aircraft for the use of the first family.

…at the foundation of this argument is that Nigeria cannot afford the purchase of a new luxury presidential aircraft, as it is a want that is not needed by President Tinubu in the Nigeria he has created in the last one year. And, to project the image and might of Nigeria will not require a luxury presidential jet but a productive economy that ensures peace, security and prosperity at home.

I have heard arguments about the projection of the image and might of the Nigerian state through the acquisition and use of a prestigious presidential aircraft for the President. I have also followed the arguments on the aero safety and security of the Nigerian leader, hence the need to replace the country’s aging fleet of presidential aircraft. Some have also talked about foreign engagements that are needed to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) into the local economy, with all the accompanying benefits to the Nigerian people. And public opinion seems to be divided between President Tinubu’s needs and wants in the ongoing debates about the desirability or otherwise of this expensive venture.

However, at the foundation of this argument is that Nigeria cannot afford the purchase of a new luxury presidential aircraft, as it is a want that is not needed by President Tinubu in the Nigeria he has created in the last one year. And, to project the image and might of Nigeria will not require a luxury presidential jet but a productive economy that ensures peace, security and prosperity at home. A leader will not be judged in the international arena by the high cost of his luxury jet, but by the high standard of living of his people back home. A leader who appears in the international arena in a luxury jet but is unable to a pay a living wage to his impoverished, hungry and miserable citizens, will be likened to an irresponsible father of hungry, naked and unsheltered children, who is riding in a luxurious Mercedes Benz car around town, while attending parties.

Whereas President Tinubu and governors of the 36 states have embarked on costly foreign trips in the last one year, the inflow of FDIs have declined significantly as a result of the impossible business environment, which has been worsened by the current administration’s policy directions. Clearly, a president does not need to fly a presidential jet to attract FDIs; rather what is required is for him to sit down at home and do the hard work of heavy lifting by creating enabling structures and institutions that can clear the way for both local and foreign investors to thrive. In a report by The PUNCH newspaper in January, it was revealed that about 14 states are said to have spent N24 billion on foreign trips of their respective governors, between 2021 and 2023,  without attracting a single FDI. These states include Cross Rivers, Bayelsa, Borno, Bauchi, Zamfara and Benue.

…President Tinubu should henceforth fly commercial airlines whenever it becomes absolutely necessary to travel. And in flying commercial airlines, these should neither be chartered private jets or or first class cabins, as these are luxuries a country that is unable to pay more than $19-a-month minimum wage to its workers cannot afford.

According to the World Bank, “Net FDI inflows are negative, reflecting net withdrawals of equity foreign investors. FDI and FPI flows into Nigeria do not compare favourably with similar economies of the world, reflecting difficulties with FX availability, security concerns, and other structural challenges in recent years.” And yes, despite the many trips of President Tinubu in the last one year, no significant FDI inflow has been recorded, rather his economic policies have suffocated pre-existing FDIs out of Nigeria, in ways that cannot be remedied by an Airbus A330 luxury aircraft.

Now that the aging presidential fleet has raised safety and security concerns, this is the time to do what should have been done a long time ago: sell of the various aircraft and disband the presidential air fleet to save the country the cost of its maintenance. The presidency of a poorly governed and thoroughly mismanaged country such as Nigeria that is home to the largest number of poor people in the world does not deserve and cannot afford a fleet of aircraft for the use of its leaders and their family. President Tinubu should use this opportunity to show a good example of how to sacrifice in the face of economic down turn, by not only disbanding the presidential fleet but also jettisoning the idea of replacing them with new aircraft. The recent crash of the Iranian president’s helicopter and Malawian vice president’s air crash clearly show that presidential aircraft are not immune from air mishaps.

Therefore, President Tinubu should henceforth fly commercial airlines whenever it becomes absolutely necessary to travel. And in flying commercial airlines, these should neither be chartered private jets or or first class cabins, as these are luxuries a country that is unable to pay more than $19-a-month minimum wage to its workers cannot afford.

Majeed Dahiru, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja and can be reached through dahirumajeed@gmail.com.