"We Can't Find Enough Private Jet to Hire": Akpabio Laments
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio raised the alarm over a shortage of private jets available for hire as 2027 campaign activities ramp up
- Akpabio linked the problem to the failure of domestic airline operators to meet growing demand for air travel in Nigeria
- The remarks came during a Senate debate on a motion urging Nigeria to renegotiate its air services agreement with China
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Senate President Godswill Akpabio has revealed that politicians gearing up for the 2027 general elections are struggling to secure private jets for campaign travel, blaming the shortage on the inability of domestic airline operators to keep pace with demand.
Akpabio made the remarks during a Senate plenary session on Tuesday, as lawmakers debated a motion calling on the Bola Tinubu administration to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China. The motion, sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno of the All Progressives Congress representing Borno North, sought to allow Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights to China.
Pressure on Nigeria's aviation sector
Using December's festive season as an example of how stretched the country's aviation capacity becomes under heavy demand, Akpabio urged the federal government to take urgent steps to fix the problems facing domestic airline operators.
The Senate president also looked back at the era of Nigerian Airways, the country's former national carrier, recalling that it once operated a fleet of between 32 and 40 aircraft flying to multiple international destinations, including transporting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. He expressed concern over how sharply the aviation industry had declined since then.
Akpabio maintained that Nigeria needed to restore a functional national carrier capable of flying the country's flag on the global stage.
Private jet culture in Nigerian politics
The charter of private jets by politicians and top government officials has long been a fixture of Nigerian political life. During election cycles, particularly presidential contests, candidates and their parties routinely spend millions of naira hiring aircraft to move between states for rallies, party meetings, and campaign events within tight schedules.
Akpabio's comments highlight the strain this practice is placing on an already overstretched private aviation market, with demand from political actors adding to the broader pressures on Nigeria's air travel infrastructure ahead of the 2027 polls.
Source: Legit.ng
