The Nation newspaper quoted an anonymous source on April 1 saying that Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered cut the fleet of 6 aircraft and 4 helicopters due to concerns about costs.
“I think officials in the Presidential Air Force (PAF) will be especially concerned about maintenance frequency and maintenance costs of this fleet,” the source said.
According to the source, President Tinubu has decided to scrap a number of aircraft “that are creating a financial burden” .
Local media said the Nigerian government spent at least $60 million to maintain PAF between 2016 and 2023.
Previously in 2016 Nigeria tried to sell two aircraft during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari but could not find a buyer.
The Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and the Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet were purchased by investors. The bidder proposed a price of 11 million USD instead of the offered 24 million USD. The Nigerian government later rejected the offer.
Africa’s most populous country is currently facing a cost of living crisis since President Tinubu abolished the subsidy policy. fuel. This was originally one of the reforms to reduce the budget deficit, however this policy has caused protests and strikes nationwide.
Last week Mr. Tinubu issued a suspension order. All international trips are sponsored by the state for government officials to reduce administrative costs. This measure takes effect from April 1 and is expected to last 3 months.
The above move was made after public criticism of Mr. Tinubu’s trip. The Nigerian leader and a delegation of more than 400 government employees attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2023 (COP28) in Dubai last November.
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