Monday, July 14, 2025 - Reactions have continued to trail the plan by the Federal Government to put its Boeing 737-700 Business Jet (BBJ) for sale, nearly 20 years after acquisition.
This is as aviation experts have warned the Federal
Government against selling the aircraft at a giveaway price.
The aircraft, which was acquired in 2005 by former
President Olusegun Obasanjo at the sum of $43 million is being sold through
AMAC Aerospace in Basel, Switzerland.
The government had previously mentioned high maintenance
costs, safety concerns and the desire to modernise its fleet as some of the
reasons for abandoning aircraft in the maintenance yard.
President Bola Tinubu in 2024, had also acquired a
refurbished 15 years old (as of the time of acquisition) Airbus A330-200
aircraft with the registration number 5N-FGA in 2024 at the sum of N150 billion
when converted to Nigerian currency as a replacement for the B737-700
aircraft.
The National Assembly had said then that the acquisition of
the refurbished plane did not go through it.
Nigeria is also the third owner of the same aircraft with
the test registration number F-WWKR and Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) 1053,
which the Federal Government took delivery of from Toulouse, France, its
production site.
The Nigerian government had acquired the A330-200 aircraft
from AMAC Aerospace, the same company that is seeking to sell the B737-700
aircraft on behalf of the Federal Government.
However, aviation experts have warned the government against
the sales of the aircraft at a giveaway price, citing the sales of the
presidential B727-200 jet at a ridiculous price by the government a few years
ago.
Commenting on the issue, Capt. Mohammed Badamasi, a seasoned
aviation professional, said that a 20 years old aircraft could not be categorised
as an old equipment, if the user adheres strictly to the manufacturer’s
maintenance schedules.
He, however, explained that a 20-year-old aircraft with a
record of maintenance issues should be sold to make way for a younger and more
popular aircraft that is maintenance-friendly.
Badamasi also warned that the presidential aircraft should
not be sold at a giveaway price by the government, but at a profitable rate
for the country.
He also called on the government to be transparent and
patriotic with the sales of the aircraft.
He said: “The sale of the aircraft, though it is a used
aircraft, could recover the amount used for the purchase at the time of purchase
20 years ago. It should not be auctioned at a giveaway price like in the past
sales.
“The other unserviceable aircraft should be sold as used
unserviceable aircraft, but not as aircraft that are beyond economic repairs.
“In all these, the process of sales has to be transparent
and patriotic. It should not be done as it was on the sold presidential
B727-200 jet, which was sold at a giveaway price. I’m not sure if the buyer has
finished payment yet.”
Also Capt. Samuel Caulcrick, an aviation consultant, said
that keeping an older aircraft in an executive fleet had the potential of
economic drawbacks.
Caulcrick, a one-time Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation
Technology (NCAT), Zaria, told Daily Independent that an older
aircraft may require more frequent and costly maintenance, adding that a less
efficient engine could increase fuel costs.
For him, a retirement and sale of such an airplane could be
a good option if a good price could be obtained, allowing the fleet to be
upgraded to more efficient and cost-effective models.
Besides, Mr. Frank Oruye, a staff of the defunct national
carrier, Nigeria Airways, stated that to keep or sell a presidential aircraft
largely depended on the mission and roles of the presidential air fleet.
He explained that as presently constituted, three of the 10
aircraft in the fleet of the presidential fleet were unserviceable.
Oruye, however, insisted that a 20-year-old aircraft was not
too old to be in the fleet of the presidency, stressing that there are older
aircraft in the fleet of the United States Air Force One.
According to him, a 20 years old aircraft could be put up
for sale if it became surplus to requirement and operating at a high cost rate.
Besides, he advised the government to have a multimodal
fleet – long haul, short, medium haul and helicopters for improved efficiency.
To Grp. Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd.), aviation security expert,
said recent unfavourable reports of Boeing aircraft manufacturers in almost 10
years of its new 737 versions especially the MAX and the 800 may be one of the
reasons for the sale of the presidential aircraft by the government.
Ojikutu feared that the recent crisis befalling the aircraft
manufacturer may lead to an escalating C-checks cost and high insurance
premium, maintaining that Airbus and the Embraer were the aircraft in the
market for commercial and government purposes.
He added: “Airbus has since become the alternative to Boeing
especially with recent incidents, serious incidents and accidents involving
Boeing.
“Preferred commercial aircraft for airlines today are the
Airbus series. If the presidency has it in its plan to change the 20 years old
Boeing to Airbus, it is in order with the global practices now.”
News had filtered out about a week ago that the Nigerian
government had put its 20 years old Boeing 737‑700 Business Jet up for sale,
with the listing hosted by AMAC Aerospace in Basel, Switzerland.
Details obtained by the media on online from US-based
aircraft listing site, The Controller: 2005 BOEING BBJ For Sale in Basle, gave
hints about the planned sales of the aircraft.
0 Comments