MUST READ: Inside details of Tinubu’s new presidential jet

Following months of speculations, the Presidency on Monday finally confirmed the acquisition of a “new” presidential jet for the use of President Bola Tinubu.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG), however, reports the presidential jet acquired by the Nigerian government is a 15-year-old aircraft built as Airbus A330-200.

The Nigerian government acquired the Airbus A330-200 to replace the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 (BBJ), acquired under Olusegun Obasanjo as president.

During an investigative hearing, the National Assembly (NASS) had questioned the safety record and cost efficiency of the Boeing B737-700 (BBJ), especially after it malfunctioned during a trip Tinubu had with it to Saudi Arabia.

The first official assignment the newly acquired Airbus A330-200 presidential jet would engage in is a trip by President Tinubu to Paris, France.

Produced in Toulouse, the capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, the newly acquired presidential jet, delivered on 18 August 2024, has been registered 5N-FGA by the Nigerian government.

Investigations by TNG reveal the Airbus A330-200 was first operated by Midroc Aviation in Saudi Arabia with its main base at the Jeddah King Abdulaziz International airport.

Configured for very important personalities (VIP) and delivered to Midroc Aviation in November 2009, the aircraft was stored at Tarbes Lourdes airport in France until it was ferried on 23 Apr 2012 to Châteauroux-Centre Marcel Dassault Airport for repainting.

The aircraft was subsequently ferried from Châteauroux-Centre Marcel Dassault Airport in May 2012 to Dallas Love Field airport in Dallas, Texas for cabin outfitting.

TNG reports cabin outfitting involves customizing an aircraft to make it truly unique. The long list of customizable features includes functional elements like options for cabin entertainment, wi-fi internet, galley appointments, controllable lighting, and sound systems, to cabin comfort features and aesthetic details.

The interior furnishings of the aircraft can also be modified during cabin outfitting with new carpeting, upholstery, headliners, and sidewalls.

In 2021, AMAC Aerospace would acquire the aircraft from Midroc Aviation and had it stored at Basel Airport in Switzerland, from where the Nigerian government purchased it.

An online news platform had earlier in June revealed that the Nigerian government reportedly acquired the Airbus A330 from a German bank. The bank reportedly seized the aircraft from an unnamed Arabian prince, who defaulted on a substantial debt.

The cabin outfitting of the aircraft, after the Nigerian government acquired it, features a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom at the front, followed by an office and a conference and dining room. It also has an airline-style first-class and economy seating at the rear.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has failed to disclose the amount spent to acquire the presidential jet, now being operated by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF).

According to Mr Bayo Onanuga, Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the Airbus A330-200 was bought at a price far below market rates, without specific mention of any sum.

“The new plane, bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly,” Onanuga stated.

The apparent lack of transparency and communication has left many questioning the process behind the acquisition of the presidential jet.