President Tinubu Departs For France Aboard Newly Purchased Presidential Jet

President Bola Tinubu on Monday departed for France capital aboard newly purchased presidential jet.

Presidency says that new Airbus A330 replaces the 19yr Boeing B737-700 bought under Obasanjo administration.

Notes that new plane was bought far below the market price, adding that it will save Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs.

The new presidential jet is furnished with the state-of-the-art avionics, customized interior and communications system.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday August 19th departed Abuja, the nation’s capital, for Paris, France aboard the newly purchased presidential jet, the Airbus A330-243 with registration 5N-FGA.

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to president Tinubu on Information and Strategy, made known on his official X handle on Monday.

President Tinubu departs for France

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… pic.twitter.com/fxVj7dKWmW

— Bayo Onanuga (@aonanuga1956) August 19, 2024

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According to Onanuga, the new Airbus A330 replaces the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought under the Presidency of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Onanuga noted that new plane was bought far below the market price, adding that it will save Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.

“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.

While the presidency is mute on how much was paid for the the new presidential jet, Premium Times newspaper had earlier reported that the FG “reportedly offered around $100 million for the wide-body, valued at $600 million due to its VIP configuration.”

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