Rabiu Acquires Bombardier Global 8000 Private Jet for $81M, 5 Key Features Stand Out
- Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group, has taken delivery of a Bombardier Global 8000 private jet
- The ultra-long-range aircraft, capable of flying up to 8,000 nautical miles without refuelling
- The new aircraft joins BUA Group’s existing fleet of jets, which includes Challenger 350 and Global 6500
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group and one of Africa's richest businessmen, has added a Bombardier Global 8000 private jet worth approximately $81 million to his conglomerate's fleet of executive aviation aircraft.
The Bombardier Global 8000 is said to be one of the costliest in the world.
It has the capacity to fly over 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometres) nonstop and is capable of journeys from Lagos to New York and Dubai to Houston.
Source: Getty Images
New Rabiu confirmed the delivery of the jet on Tuesday, June 9, with a post on his official Instagram page, where he simply stated:
"Alhamdu Lillah. A new addition. Global 8000."
This development follows a purchase agreement reported to have been made on December 4, 2025, at BUA Group's offices in Dubai, following negotiations with Bombardier executives.
This aircraft becomes one of the few to have been acquired by an African businessman and, depending on interior customisation, is said to be worth between $85 million and $95 million.
This latest addition joins a list of other executive aircraft owned by the BUA Group, including a Challenger 350 and a Global 6500, giving the conglomerate one of the most comprehensive fleets among African business conglomerates, BusinessDay reports.
Top 5 features of the Bombardier Global 8000 private jet
- Supersonic-capable speed – It reaches up to Mach 0.94 and even exceeded the speed of sound during testing.
- Ultra-long range – It can fly up to 8,000 nautical miles nonstop.
- Four luxury living zones – The cabin is split into four separate areas for work, dining, entertainment, and rest.
- High flexibility and airport access – It can land on shorter runways and access many more airports than similar jets.
- Advanced comfort systems – Includes low cabin altitude, circadian lighting, and improved air quality for reduced jet lag.
Rabiu's wealth grows
Rabiu's recent purchase comes at a time of extensive growth for BUA Group, with ventures across several major sectors including cement, food processing, agriculture, infrastructure, ports, real estate and energy.
The Global 8000 is expected to enhance executive travel within the group's operations spread across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America, as it cuts travel time and eliminates stopovers on various routes.
The aircraft, which can carry up to 19 passengers, is equipped with an advanced cabin, including improved air filtering, lower cabin altitude and better seating configurations for long-distance travel, with lighting systems that have been designed to reduce fatigue.
This purchase follows a growth in Rabiu's personal net worth, with the performance of his businesses increasing tremendously.
Source: Getty Images
As at 2026, Rabiu's net worth was an estimated $11.2 billion, an increase of $6.1 billion over the previous year, and a majority of this growth was attributed to BUA Cement, which is listed on the stock exchange.
The group's food division, BUA Foods, has also posted remarkable growth in its earnings, with its profit after tax for the first quarter of 2026 at N142.32 billion as compared to N125.28 billion for the same period in 2025.
Rabiu to earn N189.74 billion in dividends
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Rabiu's stake, Nigerian billionaire and BUA Group Chairman, is set to smile to the bank with a staggering N189.74 billion dividend from his shareholding in BUA Cement Plc.
The billionaire earned the payout after BUA Cement declared a N10.00 dividend per share, making up a major share of total distributions approved at its 10th Annual General Meeting held in Abuja.
Rabiu holds a dominant 56.03% stake in BUA Cement, amounting to 18.974 billion shares out of the company’s 33.864 billion outstanding shares, positioning him as the largest beneficiary of the dividend.
Source: Legit.ng
