THE US-based aviation marketing firm overseeing the sale of Nigeria’s presidential Boeing 737-700 Business Jet has quietly withdrawn the aircraft from its online listing, raising fresh questions about the status of the long-running disposal process.
The jet, part of the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) and purchased in 2005 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo for $43 million was listed by the Federal Government in July 2025 as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cost-cutting and fleet rationalisation plan. However, months after it was put up for sale, the jet has disappeared from the sales platform managed by JetHQ, the contracted broker.
When this newspaper checked JetHQ’s website earlier this week, the aircraft’s page had been removed.
In an email response to enquiries, JetHQ’s Manager of Market Research, Laurie Barringer, confirmed that the Boeing 737 Business Jet is no longer under the company’s portfolio.
“Thank you for your email. We no longer have the listing on the Boeing. You will need to reach out to the Nigerian Government for information as to what has become of the aircraft,” Barringer wrote.
Efforts to obtain clarification from the National Security Adviser’s office, which supervises the Presidential Air Fleet, yielded no result. The NSA’s media aide, Ismail Garba, acknowledged receipt of the enquiry and promised a response but had not provided one as of press time.
The development marks a new twist after this newspaper reported in October 2025 that the aircraft had remained unsold nearly four months after being listed. At the time, JetHQ confirmed the jet was still available but declined to disclose details of offers or negotiations, citing confidentiality.
JetHQ’s Market Research Assistant, Marinell Nuevo, had stated in earlier email exchanges that the aircraft “remains available,” while directing further enquiries to Barringer. Barringer later reiterated that the company could not disclose proprietary information and would only confirm availability.
Before its removal from the listing, maintenance records showed that the presidential jet underwent significant refurbishment and inspections at AMAC Aerospace’s Basel facility in July 2024.
The upgrades included first-class seat refurbishment, replacement of cabin carpets, and major C1–C2 inspection enhancements expected to improve its market value.
According to aircraftcostcalculator.com, a pre-owned Boeing 737 BBJ carries an average market value of approximately $56 million, depending on cabin configuration, flight hours, and maintenance history.
The Tinubu administration had justified the planned sale as a necessary measure to reduce costs amid increasing public scrutiny over government expenditure.
The Presidential Air Fleet has long attracted criticism for its size and maintenance cost, prompting periodic calls for downsizing.
With the aircraft now delisted, it remains unclear whether the Federal Government has found a buyer, cancelled the sale, or reassigned the aircraft for official use. The Presidency has not issued any statement clarifying the situation.
