FG lists Obasanjo-era presidential jet on the market in Switzerland

The Federal Authorities has put its two-decade-old Boeing 737‑700 Enterprise Jet up on the market, with the itemizing hosted by AMAC Aerospace in Basel, Switzerland.

The plane, acquired for $43m in 2005 throughout former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, is being bought months after President Bola Tinubu transitioned to a refurbished Airbus A330-200 final August amid financial considerations and public scrutiny.

That is in keeping with particulars obtained by PidomNigeria On-line from US-based plane itemizing website, The Controller: https://www.controller.com/itemizing/for-sale/244434099/2005-boeing-bbj-jet-aircraft.

The aircraft had undergone inspections and upkeep in preparation on the market, in keeping with aviation market Controller.com.

Nigeria’s presidential air fleet, overseen by the Nigerian Air Pressure and the Workplace of the National Security Adviser, has about 10 plane.

These embrace fastened wings equivalent to a 13-year-old Gulfstream Aerospace G550, Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7Xs, a Hawker 4000, and a Challenger 605.

Three of the seven fastened wings are reportedly unserviceable.

The rotor-wing fleet contains two Agusta 139s and two Agusta 101s, all operated by the Nigerian Air Pressure however supervised by the Workplace of the National Security Adviser.

Each the Buhari and Tinubu administrations had earlier pledged to streamline the PAF for cost-efficiency.

Till August 2024, the BBJ-737 with tail quantity 5N-FGT ferried the president till the administration acquired the refurbished Airbus A330-200, registered 5N‑FGA.

The plane, acquired for roughly $100m (roughly N150bn) from a repossessed German financial institution asset, arrived in France for preliminary upkeep and reconfiguration in mid-2024.

Nonetheless, since February 2025, the president has been utilizing a San Marino-registered BBJ (REG: T7-NAS).

Sources who spoke to PidomNigeria On-line in early Could 2025 confirmed that the brand new A330-200 had been flown to South Africa to alter its livery to mirror the Nigerian colors and the workplace of the President.

“The final I heard is that they took it overseas, I believe to South Africa, to alter the physique design. You already know it doesn’t have the inexperienced white inexperienced,” one supply had mentioned, asking to stay nameless.

“It’s not solely the physique paint. I discovered they’re doing a little refurbishment on it,” a second official said.

The Swiss non-public aviation agency, which facilitated the acquisition of the Airbus A330, PidomNigeria On-line, understands, can be making ready the BBJ-737 on the market.

With over 19 years in service, the Presidency mentioned the BBJ grew to become more and more costly to keep up and topic to security scrutiny, notably after a mechanical incident throughout an official journey to Saudi Arabia in April 2024.

Regardless of a partial refurbishment in July 2024, together with upgrades to its first-class seating, new carpeting, and completion of C1-C2 inspections, the presidency is retiring the jet and itemizing it on the market.

Additionally, the plane shouldn’t be enrolled in any engine upkeep programme, whereas each of its CFM56-7BE engines stay “on situation,” that’s, they aren’t topic to assured efficiency protection.

In keeping with the itemizing, consumers might contact AMAC Aerospace for the asking worth privately.

Configured to hold 33 passengers and eight crew, the itemizing mentioned the plane presents a 5-zone seating format.

Zone 1 is devoted to crew relaxation, together with two crew relaxation seats and two cabin attendant seats. Zone 2 encompasses a VIP stateroom geared up with a mattress, a two-place divan, and a personal bathroom. Zone 3 features a VIP lounge configured as a four-seat convention room.

In Zone 4, passengers will discover 9 forward-facing first-class seats. Lastly, Zone 5 presents eighteen forward-facing business-class seats.

The plane underwent a partial inside refurbishment in July 2024, together with new carpeting by way of 90 per cent of the cabin and a full refurbishment of the first-class seating space.

Full-service galleys are positioned each ahead and aft, that includes a steam oven, microwave, chilled compartments, storage areas, and warming drawers.

There are 4 enclosed bathrooms—one for crew use, one inside the VIP stateroom, one serving the first-class cabin, and one other within the business-class part.

Connectivity is offered by way of Ka-Band Wi-Fi powered by the Honeywell MCS-7000 system.

Leisure choices embrace a 32-inch monitor in the master suite, one other within the VIP lounge, yet another within the first-class cabin, and two 21-inch screens within the business-class cabin.

It mentioned the BBJ is supplied with cutting-edge avionics methods. It contains three VHF communication radios by Gables Engineering, two VHF navigation radios by Rockwell Collins, and two HF transceivers. Security and situational consciousness are enhanced by an L3 Comms DFDR, a CVR, and Honeywell’s EGPWS.

The plane is fitted with two ATC transponders, a pair of DME models, and Rockwell Collins radio altimeters.

Extra avionics embrace three Thales ADC/ADM models, two Honeywell ADIRUs, and Rockwell Collins climate radar and TCAS methods.

Emergency gear contains an Artex ELT with an interface unit. The flight management and steerage methods comprise two Rockwell Collins FCCs, a Flight Dynamics HGS laptop, and two Smith Industries FMS models.

Navigation aids embrace two ADFs and two Rockwell Collins MMR(GLU) models. Cabin pressurisation is managed by two Nord-Micro CPCs.

The plane additionally carries built-in flight and engine monitoring methods, with elements by BAE Programs, Hamilton Sundstrand, Oeco, Honeywell, Teledyne Controls, Vibro-Meter, and Avtech.

Controller.com says the plane is absolutely compliant with ADS-B, CPDLC, FANS-1/A, and RVSM necessities.

The Boeing BBJ is powered by two CFM56-7BE engines, every with 3,821 hours since new and 1,881 cycles.

The engines are on-condition and never enrolled in a upkeep programme.

The auxiliary energy unit, a Honeywell 131-9B, has logged 5,982 hours and three,622 cycles.

It says the plane is able to intercontinental vary, because of eight auxiliary gas tanks that enhance complete capability to 70,000 kilos.

This contains customary tanks of 45,000 kilos, plus auxiliary tanks cut up between the left wing (8,500 lbs), proper wing (8,500 lbs), centre (28,000 lbs), ahead aux (10,000 lbs), and aft aux (15,000 lbs).

Presently, the BBJ is present process B1-B2 inspections at AMAC Aerospace in Basel.

The C1-C2 inspections have been accomplished in July 2024. Upkeep is tracked utilizing the Veyron system.

On the skin, the plane retains its unique 2005 exterior paint scheme, that includes a white base accented with inexperienced highlights to painting the Nigerian colors.

Efforts to get official affirmation of the itemizing from the Presidency have been unsuccessful, as calls and textual content messages to the Particular Adviser to the President on Info and Technique, Bayo Onanuga, went unanswered as of the time of submitting this report.