Nearly four months after the Federal Government listed the Presidential Boeing 737-700 Business Jet for sale, the aircraft remains unsold.
This was confirmed through email exchanges between Punch and JetHQ, the U.S.-based marketing firm handling the listing.
Responding to an inquiry, JetHQ’s Market Research Assistant, Marinell Nuevo, confirmed that the jet “remains available.”
However, the firm’s Market Research Manager, Ms Laurie Barringer, declined to disclose further details. “We do not provide this kind of information to anyone but the direct owner of the aircraft. This is considered proprietary information. The only data that we can provide you is that the aircraft remains available for sale,” Barringer said.
A follow-up email demanding accountability on behalf of Nigerian taxpayers who funded the purchase and maintenance of the jet, had yet to receive a reply at press time.
The aircraft is currently managed by AMAC Aerospace, a Swiss company responsible for its maintenance and sale.
According to the listing, the Boeing 737-700 BBJ has undergone several refurbishments at AMAC’s Basel facility in July 2024. These include a full refurbishment of first-class seats, replacement of cabin carpets, and completion of major C1–C2 inspections.
The jet is described as having “one owner since new, always hangared,” and seats 33 passengers with an additional eight crew members, totalling 41 seats.
Aircraft valuation site, aircraftcostcalculator.com, estimates the average market price of a pre-owned Boeing 737 BBJ at $56 million, depending on specifications and maintenance records.
It stated, “Depending on numerous factors, the average price for a pre-owned Boeing BBJ is $56,000,000. A $28,000,000 loan over 120 months, including $116,667 per month in interest, equates to a $1,404,024 per, period payment. Based on 450 annual owner, operated hours and $6, per, GAL fuel cost, the Boeing BBJ has total variable costs of $3,900,915, total fixed costs of $1,301,481, and an annual budget of $5,202,396. This breaks down to $11,561 per hour.”
The aircraft was originally acquired in 2005 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration at a cost of $43 million. Since then, it has been part of the Presidential Air Fleet.
In July 2025, President Bola Tinubu’s government listed the jet for sale as part of cost-cutting and fleet rationalisation measures, amid rising scrutiny over Nigeria’s spending on multiple presidential aircraft.
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