The Ministry of Aviation has announced a suspension of the
importation of private jets into the country pending the renewal of the
policy on private jets. This suspension affects private airplanes,
helicopters and other lighter aircraft.
The suspension would continue until the formulation of a new policy on importation of private jets and helicopters.
The Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Aviation, Joe Obi,
who confirmed the development told Punch that the suspension did not
affect the importation of commercial and passenger jets being used by
domestic airlines.
“The domestic airlines are free to bring in their normal
passenger planes. But the suspension only affects private jets. The
government is trying to work on a new policy for the private jet. You
will agree with me that the current policy on private jets is old, and
there is a need to renew it. Pending that renewal, all applications for
importation for now will have to hold on.”
When asked if there was a time frame for the lifting of the suspension, Obi said, “There
is no definite time for now. It depends on when the new policy is
completed. Government is working on the policy. When it is completed,
every body will be informed.”
Investigations by Punch further revealed that the development was
already affecting not only some wealthy Nigerians, who had ordered for
private jets, but also their appointed agents helping them to handle the
purchase from foreign manufacturers.
Some of them have been waiting for approval to import aircrafts
from the United States, France and South Africa. Players in the private
jet sub-sector said some of the prospective buyers of the private jets
might lose the non-refundable deposits they had paid to the
manufacturers.
The Nigerian private jet market has been one of the fastest growing
in the world lately. Between 2007 and 2012, private jet ownership rose
from 20 to 150.
