President Bola Tinubu will depart the country's capital Abuja on Monday for Paris, France, his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said in a statement issued on Sunday evening. It will be the first time the president has travelled aboard a new presidential aircraft.
Mr Ngelale did not reveal how long Tinubu would remain in France or what his commitments would be during that period. He merely said that the president would return to Nigeria “after his brief work stay” in that European country.
However, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Tinubu's trip to Paris on Monday would be his first aboard Nigeria's new presidential jet, which sources said landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, at 8:30 pm on Sunday.
The aircraft was received by officials of the Nigerian Presidential Air Fleet, led by its commander, Olayinka Olusola, an air vice-marshal.
The Airbus 330 is an impounded plane that was repossessed from an indebted oil sheikh who used the plane as collateral for a loan he obtained from an unnamed German bank to buy it.
L&L International LLC, an American aviation company based in Miami, Florida, brokered the deal, which allowed Nigeria to buy the plane for more than $100 million. A presidential official described the acquisition as an excellent deal for Nigeria, putting the plane's actual market value at around $600 million.
The prestigious multi-engine aircraft, which has an elaborate VIP configuration, is now Nigeria's Airforce One, with registration number 5N-NGA.
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The recommendation to replace the 19-year-old B737-700 (BBJ) previously flown by the president arose from a House committee investigative hearing that questioned the plane's safety record and cost-effectiveness.
The House Intelligence and Homeland Security Committee then recommended replacing at least two of the presidential air fleet's aging and unserviceable aircraft to reduce downtime and operating expenses.
In a June 4 report sent to the presidency after its investigative hearing, the House Committee asked the federal government to immediately procure two aircraft for Mr Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to ensure transportation of the country's top officials.
The House Committee's call immediately triggered widespread criticism from some Nigerians, who questioned the wisdom of buying new aircraft at a time when Nigeria is facing severe economic difficulties. However, a few days later, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Intelligence endorsed the recommendations made by its House counterpart.
The government was then faced with the dilemma of finding money to buy the aircraft. To raise some of the funds, it immediately put three of the aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet up for sale.
However, in late June, the government secured funds from the N180 billion contingency fund earmarked for a service-wide vote on the 2023 supplementary budget. That was after the National Assembly approved President Tinubu’s request to extend the validity of the 2023 supplementary budget until December 31.
In Nigeria, debates continue over whether it is wise for the country to buy a plane at this time of economic hardship. African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore is among those who have condemned the purchase.
But a presidential official told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday evening that “the acquisition of the Airbus A330 is a prudent investment for Nigeria, offering increased safety, comfort, efficiency and national pride. This modernisation will serve the nation’s interest and project a positive image of Nigeria on the global stage.”
He asked not to be identified because he was not yet authorized to comment on the plane's arrival in Nigeria.