The Digest:
The Presidential Air Fleet received at least N4.24 billion in disbursements between June and December 2025, according to GovSpend, a civic technology platform tracking federal spending. The disbursements were made across eight transactions in June, July, and December, with the bulk concentrated in July when N2.43 billion was transferred within one week. This adds to a cumulative spend of at least N26.38 billion from July 2023 to December 2024. The 2025 budget allocation for the fleet stood at N17.32 billion.
Key Points:
- N4.24bn in six months could fund thousands of schools or hospital beds instead.
- Fleet spending has risen 370% since 2017, from N4.37bn to N20.52bn in 2024.
- Experts blame naira devaluation, ageing aircraft, and rising insurance costs for the surge.
- A $100m Airbus A330 was purchased in 2024 to replace the ageing Boeing 737.
- The Presidency argues the fleet belongs to Nigeria, not the President, and safety justifies the cost.
Sources: The PUNCH, GovSpend
