Politicians Struggle to Hire Private Jets for Campaigns, Akpabio

Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said he and other politicians getting ready for the 2027 elections are having a hard time hiring private jets for their campaigns.

Mr Akpabio said this is because private airline operators in Nigeria cannot meet the high demand for air travel.

He spoke during a plenary session on Tuesday as lawmakers discussed a motion to enforce the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China.

The motion was sponsored by Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North). It called for the Bola Tinubu government to renegotiate the agreement so Nigerian airlines can fly directly to China.

Mr Akpabio used the busy festive season in December to show the pressure on the aviation sector. He urged the federal government to help 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.

He also remembered when Nigeria had a national carrier, Nigerian Airways. He said it used to transport pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia for religious trips.

He noted that the airline had between 32 and 40 aircraft flying to different places. He questioned how Nigeria’s aviation industry fell 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 insisted that Nigeria needs a national carrier that can represent the country well.

Using private jets has become a normal part of political campaigns and official trips for Nigerian politicians and officials. The cost of hiring these aircraft is high.

During elections, especially presidential ones, candidates and their parties often spend millions of naira to hire private jets. They need to travel between states for rallies, campaign events, and meetings on tight schedules.

Presidential candidates especially depend on chartered planes to visit many locations across the country. They also need to travel with aides, security, and campaign teams. The cost of these flights changes based on the type of aircraft, distance, and time of hire.

Reports say that private jet charter rates in Nigeria range from $5,000 to $7,000 (about ₦6.6 million to ₦9.3 million) per flight hour. This means politicians can spend between $30,000 and $42,000 (about ₦38.8 million to ₦55.7 million) for a four-to-six-hour trip.

This trend is not just for presidential candidates. Governors, federal lawmakers, ministers, and other top officials also use private planes for local and international travels. They often say they need to stick to tight schedules, ensure security, and travel without relying on commercial flights.

Some top officials also have access to government-owned planes or services from the presidential fleet for official events.

The use of private jets also includes international trips. Past records have shown that senior government officials have used chartered private planes for overseas travels. For example, former President Goodluck Jonathan mentioned in a UK court in 2026 that he allowed former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke to use private jets for some foreign trips.