UNTIL 1999, the Presidential fleet was under
the control and supervision of the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation.
Before 1999, senior air force officers in their
grey upon blue well ironed uniforms were seen
on the eleventh floor of Federal Secretariat
which was then the office of the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation, hanging
around.
But in June 1999, President Olusegun
Obasanjo transferred the fleet to be part of the
schedule of the Chief of Staff to the President.
The argument was that since the Chief of Staff
was the head of the staff attached to the
President and since he was aware of the
hourly movement of the President, he was in a
better position to control the fleet adequately.
I understand that the fleet is now under Col.
Sabo Dasuki (rtd.) the National security
adviser whose loyalty and patriotism are never
in doubt. Before 1999 the fleet was almost
dormant for lack of use.
General Ibrahim Babangida (72) hardly travels
outside the country except to visit some states
and Chief Earnest Oladeinde Adegunle
Shonekan (79) whose tenure lasted less than
100days made use of the fleet only once when
he attended the Commonwealth conference
outside Nigeria. The second time he used the
fleet was when he was overthrown and brought
down to Lagos in company of Chief Dapo
Sarumi.
General Sani Abacha hardly travelled outside
Abuja. In fact, during his era, Pilots attached
to the Presidential Fleet complained of under
utilisation, raising fears that they might lose
their licenses for not flying enough. In 1997,
he made only five trips outside Abuja, in 1998,
he made three trips, the fourth would have
taken him to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso on
June 8, 1998 for the African Union Conference,
the very day he died.
General Abdusalam Abubakar who spent less
than eleven months in office was too busy
with his transition programme that he hardly
travelled. He made four trips during his era,
two to Niger Delta to inspect the oil spillage in
that area.
As for President Olusegun Obasanjo, the
Jagunmolu of Egbaland, he was a flying
President. Even till date, when the Presidential
fleet is outside his control, he is still flying
around the world. He loves to fly. That is the
way he is. And the Pilots attached to the
Presidential Fleet loved him for that.
The Presidential fleet still remains today the
most important posting in the Nigerian Air
force. For example, the present Chief of
Defence Staff, Marshall Alex Sabundu Badeh
was a product of the Presidential fleet, as he
flew former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar
between 1999 and 2007 severally.
Even the present Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal
Adesola Nunayun Amosu was a product of the
Nigeria Presidential Air fleet too. The Fleet
has one of the largest Aircrafts in the world in
comparison to other countries.
The British Prime Minister has no Presidential
Aircraft. Members of the British Government
charters either British Airways or Virgin
Atlantic most times.
The government of Tunisia operates a Boeing
737 BBJ. An Airbus A340-500 has also been
purchased and VIP configured, but was never
used for travel and has been stored since
2011 revolution that ousted former dictator
Ben Ali. The Tunisian government is reportedly
trying to sell both aircraft.
The government of Algeria operates an Airbus
A340-500.
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong travels on
commercial aircraft, usually operated by
Cathay Pacific. He travels on helicopters
operated by the Government Flying Service.
The Ivorian government uses a Gulf IV as a
VIP aircraft. Further they also use a
government Boeing 727-200WGL.
The State of Israel does not currently possess
a specific jet for use of its Head of State.
Wherever the current Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu flies long distances (out of the
country), the Government leases an airliner
from the state airline El Al. Meanwhile, the
President Reuvin Rivlin and other high ranking
dignitaries are relegated to El Al first class
commercial service. As of 2014, the Knesset is
considering the purchase of such an airplane,
dubbed “Israeli Air Force One”
Kenya’s President has a Fokker 70 for use as
the presidential jet. Fokker executive plane
was purchased at a cost of $50 million. The
70-seater jet was reconfigured into
telecommunication facilities. Prior to the
purchase of the Fokker, the Kenya President
primarily used Airways for his international
travel.
The Saudi Arabian Royal Flight operates a
Boeing 747-300 and a Boeing 747-400 for use
by the King of Saudi Arabia.
The President, Prime Minister of Singapore
and government officials typically travel on
regular scheduled commercial flights run by
Singapore Airlines.
However, on rare occasions or short trips,
government officials may travel on one of the
few passenger-configured Fokker-50 operated
by the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
The President of South Africa travels in a
Boeing 737 (BBJ) operated by the South
African Air Force’s 21 Squadron, which is
based at AFB Waterkloof near Pretoria; the
executive capital, i.e. the seat of the executive
branch of the South African government.
21 Squadron also operates a fleet of two
Falcon 50 and a Falcon 900B Fleet,550/1
Citation 2, and a Global Express XRS is hired
to escort the President on long flights as a
back-up aircraft. The Falcon 900 is normally
used by the Deputy President and high-
ranking cabinet ministers.
The President of Zimbabwe travels in a
charted Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767-200ER
aircraft, which is part of the national airline’s
fleet. Occasionally, the President will share the
plane with commercial passengers on
scheduled flights.
The Tanzania Government Flight Agency
operates a Gulfstream G550 for VIP transports.
There are other two other VIP aircraft a Fokker
F-50 and F-28 for internal and regional
destinations as well.
The President of Ghana flies on a Falcon EX
900 jet.
The Botswana Defence Force operated a
Gulfstream IV transport but has since been
sold and the Botswana Defence Force now
operates a Global Express OK1.
The government of Burkina uses a special
Boeing 727. A Falcon 900 has been added,
and is the type frequently in use now.
The Egyptian government operates an Airbus
A340-200 as a VIP transport. The first
presidential airplane was given as a gift from
Saudi Arabia to Egypt.
The Pope is one of the richest and famous
men on earth. He is the Head of the Catholic
Church that has followership all over the
world.
Typically, the Pope flies on a chartered Alitalia
fixed-wing aircraft when travelling to or from
more distant destinations. Traditional protocol
dictates that a Pope flies to a country he is
visiting o a chartered Alitalia jet and to return
on a jet belonging to a flag carrier from the
visited nation; this may vary when he is
touring multiple nations.
The Nigerian’s Presidential Air fleet is being
maintained by over 10 billion naira budget
annually.
Poor states like Osun,Gombe, Ebonyi, Ekiti
gets less than 2 billion naira every month
from the Federal Mobilisation Fiscal
Commission as allocation. The Presidential
Fleet of Nigeria has the third largest Air fleet
in the country coming behind Arik which has
twenty-two and Aero Contractors which has
fourteen. The Presidential Air fleet has ten
Aircraft. They include,two falcon 7X jet, two
Falcon 900jets, Gulfstream 550,one Boeing
737 BBJ (Nigerian Air Force 001 or Eagle One)
, Gulfstream IVSP.
Others are one Gulfstream V, Cessna Citation
2 aircraft and Hawk Siddley 125-800 jet.
Each of the two Falcon 7X Jets purchased in
2010 cost $51.1m, while the Gulfstream 550
costs $53.3m. However, airline CEOs put the
average price of Falcon 900 at $35m,
Gulfstream IVSP at $40m, Gulfstream V at $
45m,Boeing 737 BBJ at $58m,Cessna Citation
is $7m and Hawker Siddley 125-800 at $
125-800 at $15m.
In addition,the Federal government last year
submitted several new items to be purchased
by the Presidential Air Fleet to the National
Assembly for approval. The items listed as
new in the PAF budget are- the completion of
hanger project ( N405,500,000.00), tyre bay
tools and equipment (N 106,000,000.00),
Towberless tow tractor for aircraft towing (N
58,740,000.00), hanger sweeper (N
31,870,000.00), luggage conveyor belt truck
(N28,898,000.00) and Harlan tow aircraft
equipment towing ( N27,590,000.00).
Other news items are- CCTV and surveillance
equipment (N18,000,000.00), aircraft tools
and equipment (N11,480,000.00), battery
workshop equipment (N5,050,000.00),
complete tool box for general works and
vehicles ( N 360,000.00), heavy duty crocodile
jacks ( N 300,000.00), aluminium ladder
( N285,000.00), safety boots (N52,500.00)
and foldable ladder (N50,000.00).
The question before us is can we maintain the
Presidential Airfleet in the face of our
dwindling economy? The answer is no.
The alternative is to sell some of the aircraft
so as to reduce cost.
It is even cheaper to charter planes for some
of our top officials than to maintain the
Presidential Airfleet as it is now.
The other angle is to let the Nigerian Air force
face other challenges, instead of the present
rivalry among senior officers over posting to
the presidential air fleet.
I think we have many projects to tackle.
Instead of the temporary comfort of our
leaders. All these are for the consideration of
the incoming government of Major General
(rtd.) MuhammaduBuhari.
In his Essays of Innovation, Francis Bacon
wrote” And he that will not apply New
Remedies, must expect New evil; for time is
the greatest innovator.”
Mr.Eric Teniola , a former director at the
presidency, wrote from Lagos.

Smemud, I know you copied and pasted this article using your mobile phone hence the scattered appearance. Another time, please copy and paste it on your phone notepad or memopad then edit before pasting on nairaland. That's what I do. I couldn't read this because it is disjointed. Thanks!

thanks.I will keep that in mind