Since its transport to Germany for repairs, a Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-700) marked 5N-FGT, owned by the Nigerian government, has accumulated parking charges of at least N549 million, according to SaharaReporters. This sum represents the parking fees for 68 days, calculated at a rate of €5,000 (N8 million) per day, with the exchange rate at N1613 to €1.
Ngnrates indicates that one Euro is currently selling for N1613.435.
SaharaReporters’ investigation revealed that the aircraft was moved from Zaria to Euro Airport in Germany on March 25, arriving at 12:59 pm. Since its arrival, the Nigerian government has been paying a nightly parking fee of €5,000.
By Tuesday, June 4, the Tinubu-led government had paid €340,000 in parking fees for the aircraft. This total does not include the millions of naira spent on the jet’s repairs.
Despite pledges to reduce waste, the Tinubu administration has spent billions of naira on the presidential fleet.
In April, the President had to travel to Saudi Arabia on a charter flight for the World Economic Forum in Riyadh from the Netherlands. He initially left Nigeria with a Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP (G550) with registration number 5N-FGW and serial number 5310 (Mode-S 0640F2) because the Boeing 737-700 marked 5N-FGT was being repaired in Germany.
However, the second aircraft encountered a fault in the Netherlands.
The Nigerian leader arrived in The Hague on April 23 from Nigeria for economic and diplomatic engagements at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Reports indicated that shortly before the scheduled departure from the Netherlands on Friday, the President learned that his plane had unspecified issues, including an oxygen leak.
Consequently, the president and his delegation left the presidential aircraft behind and opted for a charter jet company to transport them to Saudi Arabia for the forum.
The Gulfstream G550 class aircraft, initially dedicated to Vice President Kashim Shettima, was also previously used by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.