The Nigerian Air Force’s newest presidential aircraft, a refurbished Airbus A330-200, has returned to Abuja following months in South Africa for livery change and minor interior upgrades.
Spotted on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, according to Punch, the 15-year-old jet, now painted in Nigeria’s official green-white-green colours, is poised to resume official duties under the call-sign Eagle One.
Images shared by aviation-tracking handle @Abuja Aviation on Thursday showed the aircraft, with tail number 5N-FGA, stationed at the Presidential Wing. The fuselage bears clean green-white-green stripes and the Nigerian Air Force emblem near the cockpit.
The aircraft’s engines were covered with red caps, indicating it wasn’t being prepared for immediate departure at the time, while ground personnel were seen attending to the aircraft.
A presidency official, who requested anonymity, confirmed the aircraft’s return, stating, “Yes, they have returned the aircraft after the painting and minor touch-ups to the inside.”
He added that it would resume service following standard acceptance checks by the Nigerian Air Force’s Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).
the aircraft’s next flight, President Bola Tinubu was seen boarding it on Friday for his official visit to Kano State.
He is also expected to travel to Ogun State in the coming days for condolence visits to the family of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who died on July 13, aged 91. The aircraft, acquired in August 2024 for $100m (approximately ₦150bn) from a European leasing firm, was sent to South Africa in May 2025 for “refitting and repainting.”
According to sources, the presidential Airbus had been grounded for about three months before being ferried abroad. Since then, President Tinubu had relied on a San Marino–registered Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), T7-NAS, for his local and international trips. “The last I heard is that they took it abroad, I think to South Africa, to change the body design,” a source said in May, adding that the work included more than just paint.
A second official confirmed the livery update was necessary to replace the jet’s commercial colours with Nigeria’s VIP design, a requirement before it could serve as Eagle One.
