Confusion deepens as Nigeria’s Presidential Jet disappears from US sales listing

Nigeria’s plan to sell one of its presidential aircraft has taken a puzzling turn after the Boeing 737-700 Business Jet, earlier advertised for disposal, quietly vanished from the online listing of JetHQ, the US-based aviation marketing firm contracted to broker the sale.

Checks by this newspaper on JetHQ’s platform earlier this week showed that the page hosting the presidential jet had been removed without explanation.

The aircraft, acquired in 2005 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo for $43 million, was listed in July 2025 as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cost-cutting and fleet-reduction initiative.

Responding to enquiries, JetHQ’s Manager of Market Research, Laurie Barringer, confirmed the firm no longer handles the aircraft.

“Thank you for your email. We no longer have the listing on the Boeing. You will need to reach out to the Nigerian Government for information as to what has become of the aircraft,” Barringer stated.

Attempts to obtain clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which oversees the Presidential Air Fleet, yielded no response.

The NSA’s media aide, Ismail Garba, acknowledged the enquiry and promised feedback but had not provided one as of press time.

The development adds a fresh layer of uncertainty to the disposal process, coming months after earlier reports that the jet remained unsold nearly four months after it was first advertised.

At the time, JetHQ confirmed that the aircraft was still available but declined to disclose the status of negotiations, citing confidentiality.

Before its sudden delisting, maintenance records indicated that the jet underwent extensive refurbishment at AMAC Aerospace’s Basel facility in July 2024.

The upgrades included first-class seat refurbishment, new cabin carpets, and major C1–C2 inspections, improvements expected to boost its resale value.

Industry estimates place the market value of a pre-owned Boeing 737 Business Jet at around $56 million, depending on configuration, flight hours, and maintenance history.

The Tinubu administration had repeatedly defended the decision to sell the jet, insisting the move was part of a broader effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency within the Presidential Air Fleet, long criticised for its size and hefty maintenance bills.

With the aircraft now delisted and no official explanation forthcoming, it remains unclear whether the Federal Government has secured a buyer, cancelled the sale, or reassigned the jet for continued official use.

As at the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not issued any statement on the matter.

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