Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu to trim air fleet, save millions

The Presidential Aircraft Fleet (PAF) of six jets and four helicopters is set to experience downsizing to reduce the fleet to just seven aircrafts.

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Nigeria’s current administration led by President Bola Tinubu has disclosed plans for the sale of three Presidential Air Fleet to reduce government expenditure.

This is part of the cost-saving measures adopted by the Tinubu administration, especially the aircraft maintenance in the fleet, which amounts to more than 5 million dollars, Nigerian media The Nation reported.

The Presidential Aircraft Fleet (PAF) of six jets and four helicopters is set to experience downsizing to reduce the fleet to just seven aircrafts. This move is part of efforts to streamline operations, reduce government expenditure, and cut maintenance costs.

“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. I think officers in PAF were particularly concerned about the frequency of maintenance and how much it costs the nation,” a source told The Nation

“The President decided to let off the aircraft that constitute the most burdensome,” the source added.

During President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in 2016, attempts to sell two aircraft faced some challenges. The government rejected initial offers of $24 million for a Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet, which deemed a reduced bid of $11 million unacceptable.

The current PAF lineup includes Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7X, HS 4000, two Agusta 139, and two Agusta 101. Of note, the BBJ 737 exclusively serves as the Nigerian Air Force One, catering solely to the President’s travel needs.