Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja Monday for Paris, using the new Airbus A330, which replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought under the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said in a statement that the new plane, bought far below the market price, saved Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.
“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”, Onanuga said.
