We can’t find enough private jets to hire for our campaigns – Akpabio

Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said he and other politicians preparing for the 2027 general elections are finding it difficult to hire private jets to travel between locations for their campaigns.

Mr Akpabio attributed the difficulty to the inability of private airline operators in Nigeria to adequately meet the demand for air travels.

He made the remarks during plenary on Tuesday when lawmakers were debating a motion seeking to enforce the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China.

The motion, sponsored by Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), urged the Bola Tinubu administration to renegotiate the agreement to allow Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights to China.

Using the festive season, particularly in December, to illustrate the pressure on the country’s aviation sector, Mr Akpabio urged the federal government to address the challenges facing domestic airline operators.

“Watch December and the confusion. Even the private airlines cannot handle it. Common campaigns, we cannot see even private jets to hire. We should at least be able to urge the federal government to look into that to alleviate the plight of airlines,” he said.

Mr Akpabio also recalled when the country operated a national carrier, Nigerian Airways, which he said transported pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia for religious pilgrimage.

He said the airline once had between 32 and 40 aircraft, which operated flights to different destinations, and questioned how the country’s aviation industry had deteriorated to its current state.

“We used to have a plane in those days carrying people to Saudi Arabia and all that. At the time, Nigerian Airways had about 32 planes on ground, about 40, going from one place to the other. So, how did we get here?” he asked.

The senate president maintained that Nigeria needed a national carrier capable of flying the country’s flag.

Politician flying private jets

The use of private jets by Nigerian politicians and top government officials has become a common feature of political campaigns and official travels, despite the enormous cost of chartering such aircraft.

During election campaigns, particularly presidential elections, candidates and their political parties often spend millions of naira hiring private jets to move between states and attend rallies, campaign events and political meetings within tight schedules.

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Presidential candidates, in particular, rely on chartered aircraft to cover multiple locations across the country, given the demands of nationwide campaigns and the need to travel with their aides, security personnel and campaign teams. The cost of such flights varies depending on the aircraft type, distance, duration of hire and other operational considerations.

Online reports estimated that private jet charter rates in Nigeria range from $5,000 to $7,000 (from about ₦6.6 million to ₦9.3 million) per flight hour, depending on the aircraft type, capacity, route and operating conditions. This means that politicians could spend between $30,000 and $42,000 (about ₦38.8 million to ₦55.7 million) on a four-to-six-hour trip.

The trend is not limited to presidential candidates. Governors, federal lawmakers, ministers and other senior government officials also use privately owned or chartered aircraft for domestic and international journeys, often referencing tight schedules, security considerations and the convenience of travelling without relying on commercial flight schedules. Some top officials also have access to government-owned aircraft or presidential fleet services for official engagements.

The practice also extends to international travels. Public records and previous reports have documented the use of chartered private aircraft by senior government officials on overseas trips. For instance, former President Goodluck Jonathan told a UK court in 2026 that he approved the use of private jets by former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke for some foreign trips.