Senate President Godswill Akpabio raised the alarm over a shortage of private jets available for hire as 2027 campaign activities ramp upAkpabio linked the problem to the failure of domestic airline operators to meet growing demand for air travel in NigeriaThe remarks came during a Senate debate on a motion urging Nigeria to renegotiate its air services agreement with ChinaPAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng! Senate President Godswill Akpabio has revealed that politicians gearing up for the 2027 general elections are struggling to secure private jets for campaign travel, blaming the shortage on the inability of domestic airline operators to keep pace with demand.Akpabio made the remarks during a Senate plenary session on Tuesday, as lawmakers debated a motion calling on the Bola Tinubu administration to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China. The motion, sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno of the All Progressives Congress representing Borno North, sought to allow Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights to China.Pressure on Nigeria’s aviation sectorUsing December’s festive season as an example of how stretched the country’s aviation capacity becomes under heavy demand, Akpabio urged the federal government to take urgent steps to fix the problems facing domestic airline operators.The Senate president also looked back at the era of Nigerian Airways, the country’s former national carrier, recalling that it once operated a fleet of between 32 and 40 aircraft flying to multiple international destinations, including transporting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. He expressed concern over how sharply the aviation industry had declined since then.Akpabio maintained that Nigeria needed to restore a functional national carrier capable of flying the country’s flag on the global stage.PAY ATTENTION: From breaking news to viral moments.
Follow Legit.ng on Instagram!Private jet culture in Nigerian politicsThe charter of private jets by politicians and top government officials has long been a fixture of Nigerian political life. During election cycles, particularly presidential contests, candidates and their parties routinely spend millions of naira hiring aircraft to move between states for rallies, party meetings, and campaign events within tight schedules.Akpabio’s comments highlight the strain this practice is placing on an already overstretched private aviation market, with demand from political actors adding to the broader pressures on Nigeria’s air travel infrastructure ahead of the 2027 polls. Source: Legit.ng Bada Yusuf (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Yusuf Amoo Bada is an accomplished writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism and writing, he is also politics and current affairs editor with Legit.ng. He holds B.A in Literature from OAU, and Diploma in Mass Comm.
He has obtained certificates in Google’s Advance Digital Reporting, News Lab workshop. He previously worked as an Editor with OperaNews. Best Editor of the Year for Politics and Current Affairs Desk (2023) by Legit.ng. Contact: bada.yusuf.amoo@corp.legit.ng Nigerian SenateNational AssemblyGodswill Akpabio David muir Kalogeras sisters Ballon d or rankings Famous person world Frsc
