FG Puts 19-Year-Old Presidential Jet Up for Sale Amid Cost, Safety Concerns

• The Federal Government has listed its 19-year-old Boeing 737-700 Business Jet for sale, citing rising maintenance costs and safety concerns
• The aircraft, originally bought for $43 million in 2005, was replaced by a refurbished Airbus A330-200 now undergoing customization abroad
• The BBJ, previously used for presidential travel, is currently being inspected in Switzerland and offered for private purchase via AMAC Aerospace

The Nigerian government has officially listed one of its presidential aircraft, a Boeing 737‑700 Business Jet, for sale nearly two decades after it was acquired under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The listing, hosted by AMAC Aerospace in Basel, Switzerland, marks a significant move to trim the costly and aging Presidential Air Fleet.

FG readies to sell iconic jet

Originally purchased in 2005 for $43 million, the BBJ, bearing the tail number 5N-FGT, has been a central figure in Nigeria’s VIP air travel. It served multiple administrations before being sidelined in August 2024, when President Bola Tinubu adopted a refurbished Airbus A330-200. That newer aircraft, bought for roughly $100 million, is currently undergoing customisation and repainting to reflect national colours.

According to aircraft sales platform Controller.com, the Boeing jet is being sold without a listed price, but interested buyers can contact AMAC directly.

The aircraft has completed essential maintenance, including C1-C2 inspections, and is undergoing further checks in Switzerland to prepare it for handover.

Safety reasons necessitate sale

Despite a partial interior refurbishment in mid-2024, which included upgraded seating and new carpeting, the jet had become costly to maintain.

Officials say the decision to offload the plane was driven by safety concerns and operational inefficiencies, particularly after a mechanical issue disrupted a presidential trip to Saudi Arabia last year.

The BBJ is configured to carry 33 passengers and 8 crew across five distinct cabin zones. These include a crew rest area, VIP stateroom with a private lavatory, a conference lounge, first-class seats, and a business-class section. It also features fully equipped galleys, four enclosed lavatories, and in-flight entertainment powered by Honeywell’s Ka-Band Wi-Fi system.

The aircraft is powered by two CFM56-7BE engines, neither of which is enrolled in a maintenance programme. While they remain “on condition,” meaning still functional, their lack of service coverage could impact the aircraft’s market appeal.

With an intercontinental range supported by eight auxiliary fuel tanks, the jet remains flight-ready but will no longer serve in the country’s official fleet. Its retirement comes as both the Buhari and Tinubu administrations seek to cut down the size and cost of presidential assets.

How Tinubu spent N20.03bn on presidential jet

Earlier in a similar report, Legit.ng discovered that President Bola Tinubu had spent at least N20.03bn on the operations and maintenance of the presidential fleet between July 2023 and December 2024, an approximate of 18 months.

In a report by a civic tech agency that tracks and analyses the spending of the federal government, GovSpend, it was uncovered that 71 per cent of the payout for the fleet in the 2024 fiscal year was consumed by the newly acquired presidential jet, which amounted to N14.15bn.

Source: Legit.ng