The Presidency unveiled on Monday the new Airbus A330 aircraft acquired for President Bola Tinubu.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, shared photos of the presidential jet on Monday via his verified X page.
According to the presidential adviser, the new jet would replace the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 (BBJ) purchased during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Onanuga did not tell how much the Nigerian government spent to obtain the new presidential jet.
According to Onanuga, the new plane has saved Nigeria millions of dollars in maintenance and fuel costs each year.
He wrote, “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 price saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars a year.
“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 state-of-the-art avionics, a customised interior, and a communications system.”
Meanwhile, Tinubu has left the Federal Capital Territory for France. At 4:08 p.m., the President and some of his closest advisers took off from Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on an Airbus A330 corporate jet.
Tinubu’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, stated on Sunday that the President will leave for his fourth trip to the European country on Monday, August 19, departing from Abuja, the nation’s capital.
