President Tinubu departed Abuja Monday for Paris, France using the new Airbus A330, which replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 bought during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Confirming this in a statement on his X page, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, said the new plane saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly. He did not disclose the cost of purchasing the aircraft.
The recommendation to replace the B737-700 followed a hearing by parliament that questioned the plane’s safety record and cost efficiency after a fault was declared during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
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The Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the ageing aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses. The decision sparked outrage with some Nigerians questioning the government’s decision to spend an estimated $100 million on an aircraft for one person, while the country grapples to rein in inflation and tackle other economic challenges.
