3 months ago
9
President Bola Tinubu on Monday departed Abuja for Paris aboard Nigeria’s new Presidential plane, an Airbus A330, replacing the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 (BBJ) acquired during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Guardian reports that The Airbus A330 business jet, which is now registered to the Nigerian Air Force, left the capital Abuja for Nice, according to FlightRadar24.
The model, typically used as a twin-aisle passenger jet, was purchased last month for $100 million. It had been advertised on Aircraft24, a platform to buy and sell aircraft.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who revealed Tinubu’s travel itinerary in a statement on Monday, had earlier confirmed the decision to purchase the plane as part of efforts to enhance the safety and efficiency of Nigeria’s presidential travels.
The newly purchased aircraft, secured at a price well below market value, is expected to save the country millions of dollars annually in maintenance and fuel costs.
The decision to upgrade the presidential fleet followed an investigative hearing by Nigeria’s parliament, which raised concerns about the safety and cost efficiency of the ageing B737-700 (BBJ), particularly after it experienced a malfunction during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
In response to these concerns, the Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the older aircraft to reduce downtime and operational expenses for the government.
English (US) ·