Akpabio Raises Alarm Over Private Jet Shortage for 2027 Elections

During a Senate plenary session, Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, lamented the difficulties politicians face in securing private jets for campaign travel as the 2027 general elections approach. He attributed the shortage to domestic airline operators' failure to keep pace with rising demand.

Akpabio's remarks came while lawmakers debated a motion, sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North) of the All Progressives Congress, urging the government to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with China to enable Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights to China. He cited the festive season in December as an example of how the aviation capacity becomes strained under heavy demand.

Akpabio reminisced about the former national carrier, Nigerian Airways, which once operated a fleet of 32 to 40 aircraft. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to restore a functional national carrier to enhance its global aviation presence, highlighting the increasing strain on the private aviation market due to political demands.