President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja for France. The Airbus A330 business jet carrying the President and his key aides took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 4:08 pm.
Sources with knowledge of the trip confirmed that the aircraft had landed in Abuja at 8:30 pm on Sunday, following a nearly five-hour flight from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in France. “The plane arrived yesterday, and the President will be using it to travel to France today,” said a Presidency official who requested anonymity.
On Sunday evening, Tinubu’s spokesperson, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, issued a statement confirming that the President’s fourth trip to France would commence on Monday, August 19. The statement noted, “The President will return to the country after his brief work stay in France.”
The jet used for this trip is one of three presidential aircraft recently involved in a legal dispute in France with Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited over a conflict with the Ogun State Government. However, on Friday, August 16, Zhongshan announced it would release one of the aircraft to facilitate President Tinubu’s diplomatic visit. Zhongshan indicated that the release was a gesture of goodwill in light of a scheduled meeting between President Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The aircraft, valued at $100 million (N150 billion), includes a bedroom, office space, and a conference and dining room. It will make its maiden trip with President Tinubu aboard on Monday.
This trip marks President Tinubu’s 23rd international visit since taking office approximately 15 months ago. His previous destinations include Equatorial Guinea, London (twice), Guinea-Bissau (twice), Nairobi, Porto-Novo, Pretoria, Accra, New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New York, Riyadh (twice), Berlin, Addis Ababa, Dakar, and Doha.
