Nigera puts old presidential jet up for sale

Nigeria is selling the plane that carried its president for nearly 20 years, marking the end of an era for the jet that has served multiple presidents.

The government bought the Boeing 737 jet for $43 million in 2005. Now, a Swiss company is selling it on Nigeria’s behalf.

President Bola Tinubu stopped using the old plane last August. He switched to a newer, bigger plane after people complained about government spending during tough economic times.

Why is the plane being sold?

The 20-year-old Boeing jet had become too expensive to fix and keep running. It also developed safety problems.

In April 2024, the plane broke down during a trip to Saudi Arabia. This worried officials about whether it was still safe to fly.

Even though the government spent money fixing up the inside of the plane in July 2024, they decided it was time to get rid of it.

The plane’s two engines lack any warranty or service plan. This means if something goes wrong, repairs could cost a fortune.

Nigeria has many government planes

Nigeria’s president has access to about 10 aircraft. These include:

• Regular planes: Several luxury jets made by companies like Gulfstream, Falcon, and Hawker. Three of these planes don’t work properly right now.
• Helicopters: Four helicopters that can carry the president on shorter trips.

The Nigerian Air Force operates all these aircraft.

Also, the government bought a replacement plane for about $100 million. This Airbus A330-200 dwarfs the old Boeing jet.

But confusion has emerged. Since February, President Tinubu has used a different plane altogether – one registered in a small European country called San Marino.

Meanwhile, Nigeria sent the new $100 million plane to South Africa for repainting in the country’s green and white colours.

“The last I heard is that they took it abroad, I think to South Africa, to change the body design. You know it doesn’t have the green white green,” one source told The Punch, asking to remain anonymous.

“It’s not only the body paint. I learned they are doing some refurbishment on it,” a second official stated.

What’s inside the plane being sold?

The Boeing jet for sale resembles a flying luxury hotel. It can carry 33 passengers and 8 crew members.

Inside, five different zones serve different purposes:

Zone 1: Where the crew can rest; Zone 2: A bedroom with a bed and sofa, plus a private bathroom; Zone 3: A meeting room with four seats; Zone 4: Nine first-class seats; Zone 5: Eighteen business-class seats

The plane contains two kitchens with ovens, microwaves, and fridges. Four bathrooms serve passengers throughout the aircraft.

Passengers can use Wi-Fi and watch TV on several screens, including a big 32-inch screen in the bedroom.

How the plane works

The Boeing jet has two powerful engines that can fly long distances without stopping for fuel. Extra fuel tanks let it carry 70,000 pounds of fuel – that’s about the weight of 35 cars.

The plane carries modern safety and navigation equipment that meets international flying rules.

White paint with green stripes covers the aircraft to show Nigeria’s national colours.

What happens next

Right now, the plane sits in Switzerland getting safety checks before Nigeria can sell it. The company selling it hasn’t revealed how much they want for it.

Both former President Buhari and current President Tinubu have promised to reduce the number of government planes to save taxpayers’ money.

Selling this old plane appears to advance that plan, especially since Nigeria faces economic problems and needs to cut government spending.