Reports from the weekend indicate that three Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) jets are scheduled to be auctioned as part of cost-cutting measures under the Tinubu administration.
The current fleet comprises ten aircraft, including six jets and four helicopters, which will be reduced to seven if the planned auction takes place.
During President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, a proposal to sell two planes from the fleet did not materialize, despite offering a Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet for sale in October 2016.
Although preferred bidders initially agreed to pay $24 million for the two aircraft, they later reduced their offer to $11 million, which was rejected by the government at that time.
Subsequently, an initiative was launched to charter some of the aircraft to willing governors to generate income and reduce government expenses on maintenance.
The Presidential Fleet includes various aircraft such as Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, Falcon 7X, HS 4000, Agusta 139, and Agusta 101, with the BBJ 737 serving as the Nigerian Air Force One exclusively for the President.
The BBJ 737 is equipped to function as an office and residential quarter in the air, facilitating the President’s effectiveness during trips, while one of the helicopters is used for shuttles within the country.
Other jets in the fleet are utilized by high-ranking government officials, including the Vice President, governors, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, National Assembly members, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ministers, Chief of Staff, advisers, and plenipotentiary status ambassadors.
It remains uncertain whether the President’s BBJ 737 will be sold and replaced, as details were not confirmed over the weekend.
The BBJ was acquired for approximately $43 million during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo, while plans are in place to sell off Falcon and Embraer jets.
A significant sum of N80 billion has been allocated for the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) for maintenance costs spanning from 2016 to 2023, with concerns raised over the escalating expenses prompting President Tinubu to consider downsizing the fleet.
Despite the lack of confirmation on the exact amount released annually from the budget, it is evident that the President is uneasy about the mounting maintenance costs and has identified three aircraft for disposal to alleviate the financial burden.
An investigation revealed that maintenance fees exceeding $5 million may have been accrued in recent months, with outstanding commitments on the fleet yet to be settled.
The utilization of some planes by top government officials is justified by the necessity of efficient air travel connections to various African countries, with the Presidential Air Fleet managed under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for optimal supervision.
In a bid to reduce expenditures, President Tinubu has implemented a three-month ban on public-funded foreign trips by Federal Government officials, effective immediately.
