Guess Who Now Has The Most Expensive Jet in Nigeria worth N29.5billion

The good guys at soft-sell, Encomium Weekly, appear to have done the maths – and they have now declared the Nigerian with the most expensive private jet in the country as we speak.

Drum-roll for … former Borno Governor, Ali Modu Sherriff!

According to a report by Encomium magazine, former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sherriff has “toppled Bishop David Oyedepo as the owner of the largest fleet of private jets in Nigeria with the acquisition of a new jet valued at N11.5 billion”.

According to Encomium:

Former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has topped the chart of top 10 private jet owners in Nigeria with the acquisition of a brand new Gulfstream G650 model worth about $72 million (N29.5 billion). In November 15, 2013 Encomium Weekly’s check revealed that it’s the most expensive private jet among wealthy Nigerians who are privileged to have these expensive toys. The latest acquisition brings to four planes in his fleet.

We gathered that the aircraft, which was registered in Dubai with special specifications, is the fourth in his fleet, as the former governor already has three old Dornier aircraft which he acquired from Aero Contractors at an estimated $3 million (N1.2 billion).

According to our source, a Dornier aircraft is used for charter services as Sheriff recently obtained an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for his airline, Skybird. But a source said the Gulfstream was acquired for Sheriff’s personal use.
An operator who is aware of the purchase described the aircraft as top of the range, adding that it was unlikely that the former governor would deploy it for commercial service.

The magazine also says he’s trying to evade the law: ,

A Nigerian pilot and chief executive officer of an airline that provides charter services, said by registering the aircraft overseas, Sheriff had denied Nigeria taxes and import duty on the aircraft.

He added that no Nigerian pilot or engineer would be employed to operate or work on the aircraft because with the foreign registration, only pilots and engineers licensed in the United Arab Emirates would be authorised to operate and service the aircraft.

“By registering the aircraft overseas, he has avoided tax and import duty, which he should pay to a country where he is a citizen and from which he made the money which he now spends on a foreign crew,” he said.
The source also explained that Sheriff would also be paying overseas facility managers for the maintenance of the aircraft and would also pay charges to the company under which the aircraft was registered overseas.

The main price of the aircraft is $65 million but other charges could have raised it to $72 million, and according to US-based Forbes magazine, the Gulfstream G650 has an order book of 200 customers throughout the world.