Nigeria’s 20-year-old presidential jet, purchased in 2005 under President Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration, has been put up for sale in Switzerland by the federal government.
Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), which primarily takes care of presidential trips, will now be replaced by a new acquired Airbus ACJ330-200.
Bayo Onanuga, Presidential spokesperson, revealed that the decision to sell the old Boeing stemmed from rising maintenance costs and reliability concerns associated with the older Boeing. Although the exact asking price for the aircraft has not been disclosed by either AMAC Aerospace or the Nigerian government.
“The ageing BBJ had become increasingly expensive to maintain and had suffered a malfunction during a trip to Saudi Arabia,” Onanuga said in response to inquiries last year. He also confirmed the Airbus was delivered in July 2024 and now functions as the official presidential jet.
The Boeing 737-700 BBJ, originally purchased in 2005 during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, is currently undergoing inspections at AMAC Aerospace, Basel, according to public listings on Controller, a global aircraft sales platform. The aircraft had served as the principal presidential jet under successive Nigerian administrations.
Nigerians and other Civil society groups were alarmed in 2024 when it was reported that the government would spend over ₦150 billion on the new jet.
The Boeing aircraft, built in 2005, has logged approximately 3,821 flight hours and 1,881 landings. It accommodates 33 passengers and eight crew members in a five-zone layout, featuring a private bedroom with an ensuite shower, a VIP office, and business-class seating.
Equipped with Ka-band Wi-Fi, ADS-B Out, and FANS 1/A avionics, the BBJ underwent partial interior refurbishment in July 2024, including new carpeting and refurbishment of first-class seats. However, it is not under any engine maintenance program, with both CFM56-7BE engines maintained on an “on condition” basis.
