The Presidency has confirmed the acquisition of a new Airbus A330 to replace the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 (BBJ). The previous jet, which had been used for presidential travel, was originally acquired during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The confirmation came from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, who made the announcement via a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday.
In his post, Onanuga revealed that President Tinubu departed Abuja for Paris, France, on Monday aboard the newly acquired aircraft, which was purchased at a price significantly below its market value.
The new jet is anticipated to save Nigeria millions of dollars annually in both maintenance and fuel costs, providing a more sustainable and economical option for presidential travel.
“President Tinubu departed Abuja Monday for Paris, France using the new Airbus A330, which replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought under the Presidency of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“The new plane bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly,” the post read in part.
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Onanuga’s post further elaborated that the decision to replace the aging B737-700 (BBJ) in the presidential fleet was largely influenced by concerns brought to light during an investigative hearing conducted by Nigeria’s parliament.
This hearing raised significant and serious questions regarding the safety record and overall cost efficiency of the older aircraft, concerns that were particularly amplified after the plane experienced a malfunction during a critical trip to Saudi Arabia.
In response to these pressing concerns, the Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee strongly recommended the replacement of the outdated aircraft.
The goal was to minimize downtime and reduce the operational expenses that had become increasingly burdensome due to the aging plane’s frequent maintenance needs and potential safety risks.
The newly acquired plane is described as spacious, featuring state-of-the-art avionics, a customized interior, and an advanced communications system, making it a more modern, reliable, and efficient choice for presidential travel.
“The recommendation to replace the B737-700(BBJ) followed an investigative hearing by Nigeria’s parliament that questioned the plane’s safety record and cost efficiency, especially after it malfunctioned during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
“The Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the ageing aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses.
“The new plane is spacious and is furnished with the state-of-the-art avionics, customized interior and communications system,” the remainder of Onanuga’s post read.
