Business and private jets based in Nigeria

In recent months, wild guesses have been made in the Nigerian press about the number of private and corporate jets based in Nigeria and/or owned by Nigerians. The NCAA will not provide the accurate numbers, but a list of identified active private and business jets is provided below. The list is not complete and might not be entirely accurate, but it does show that the numbers circulating in the press are slightly exaggerated.

Aircraft on the Nigerian register:

• Boeing 737-700/BBJ (5N-FGT) – Nigerian Air Force
• Dassault Falcon 7X (5N-FGU) – Nigerian Air Force
• Dassault Falcon 7X (5N-FGV) – Nigerian Air Force
• Gulfstream G550 (5N-FGW) – Nigerian Air Force
• Gulfstream GV (5N-FGS) – Nigerian Air Force
• Cessna Citation II (NAF 050) – Nigerian Air Force
• Embraer EMB135BJ Legacy 600 (5N-RSG) – Rivers State Government
• Embraer EMB145LR (5N-BJM) – Bauchi State Government / Associated Aviation
• Embraer EMB145EU (5N-BOZ) – Taraba State Government / Air Taraba / OAS Helicopters
• Cessna 560XLS Citation Excel + (5N-HAR) – Nigeria Police
• Cessna 525C CitationJet CJ4 (5N-DIA) – Nigeria Customs Service
• HS 125-700 (5N-AVK) – Nigerian Airspace Management Agency
• Hawker 4000 (5N-NOC) – Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
• BAe 125-800 (5N-NPC) – Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
• Hawker 800A (5N-BNE) – King Airline
• Hawker 800A (5N-BMR) – King Airline
• Hawker 800XP (5N-BNM) – SkyJet Aviation
• Learjet 45 (5N-BLW) – ARM Investment Managers / Associated Aviation / Hangar8
• BAe 125-700 (5N-BFC) – Associated Aviation
• BAe 125-700 (5N-DAO) – Associated Aviation
• Hawker 800XP (5N-JMA) – Arik Air
• Hawker 800XP (5N-JMB) – Arik Air
• Learjet 45XR (5N-LDM) – MaxAir
• Gulfstream GIV (5N-BOD) – SkyBird Air
• Cessna 560XLS Citation Excel (5N-BJS) – Pan African Airlines
• Cessna 560XLS Citation Excel (5N-BOQ) – Pan African Airlines
• Learjet 45 (5N-DAL) – Dana Air
• BAe 125-600 (5N-EMA) – M. Adenuga / Southern Air – stored at Lagos
• Hawker 800A (5N-QTS) – S. Iwuajoku / Quits Aviation
• Hawker 800XP (5N-IZY) – A. Izinyon / Izy Air
• Cessna 550 Citation Bravo (5N-IZZ) – Izy Air
• BAe 125-700 (5N-BEX) – A. Dangote
• BAe 125-1000 (5N-DGN) – A. Dangote
• Gulfstream GII (5N-BGV) – R. Okorocha – for sale
• Gulfstream GIV (5N-PZE) – A. Eze / Oranto Oil / Triax Airlines
• Hawker 800 (5N-BMT) – Ocean and Marine
• BAe 125-800 (5N-BOO) – unidentified – stored
• Dassault Falcon 900 (5N-FGE) – unidentified – stored
• Dassault Falcon 900 (5N-BOH) – unidentified – stored

Foreign registered aircraft based in Nigeria:

• Bombardier Global 5000 (N565RS) – Rivers State Government
• Gulfstream G450 (N224BH) – Akwa Ibom State Government
• Hawker 800XP (N664AC) – TaK Aviation / TaK Continental
• Hawker 800XP (N500AZ) – Azikel Air
• Hawker 900XP (ZS-SME) – TopBrass Aviation
• Hawker 900XP (ZS-KBS) – SkyJet Aviation
• Hawker 4000 (N412TF) – SkyPower Express Airways
• Dassault Falcon 900EX (N512TF) – SkyPower Express Airways
• Cessna 525 CitationJet Cj1+ (N224BA) – SkyPower Express Airways
• Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign (N2208L) – United Bank of Africa
• Embraer EMB135BJ Legacy 600 (M-ANGA) – MaxAir
• Embraer EMB135BJ Legacy 600 (ZS-LRK) – SkyJet Aviation
• Embraer EMB135BJ Legacy 600 (ZS-UBS) – SkyJet Aviation
• Learjet 45XR (ZS-KAA) – SkyJet Aviation
• Learjet 60 (VP-BOD) – Caverton Helicopters – for sale
• Airbus A318 Elite (VP-CKH) – Harry Akande
• Bombardier Challenger 604 (VP-BJM) – M. Adenuga / Southern Air
• Bombardier Global Express XRS (VP-CNA) – M. Adenuga / Southern Air
• Bombardier Global Express XRS (VQ-BJA) – A. Johnson
• Bombardier Global Express XRS (VP-CEO) – F. Alakija
• Bombardier Global Express XRS (N104DA) – A. Dangote
• Learjet 45 (N104DN) – A. Dangote
• Dassault Falcon 2000LX (M-DARA) – Dangote Group / Dansa Juice
• Bombardier Challenger 300 (VQ-BMJ) – Executive Jets Services – for sale
• Bombardier Challenger 605 (3B-RGT) – GTBank / Executive Jets Services / OSA Aviation
• Bombardier Challenger 605 (N605GF) – J. Ibrahim / Global Fleet
• Bombardier Challenger 605 (VP-CSI) – I. Sanomi / Gembrook Energy Projects
• Dassault Falcon 50 (M-SNSS) – S. Tommey / Osmoserve Global
• Hawker 800A (N118KL) – M. Lawal / ACE / CAMAC Aviation / West Link Airlines
• Hawker 900XP (N638MA) – Midway Airlines / Okin Travels
• Hawker 900XP (M-SAPT) – T.Y. Danjuma / SAPETRO Aviation
• Bombardier Challenger 605 (M-SAPL) – T.Y. Danjuma / SAPETRO Aviation
• Hawker 900xp (ZS-SGV) – J. Okoloko / Notore Chemical Industries
• Gulfstream GIV (N990EA) – E. Azudialu / Nestoil
• Gulfstream GIV (N52MK) – M. Indimi / Oriental Energy Resources
• Gulfstream GIV (M-PZPZ) – A. Eze / Triax Airlines
• Gulfstream GV (M-USBA) – Namco Nigeria / Shukra
• Gulfstream G550 (N169SD) – S. Dantata / MRS Group – for sale
• Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ (N5UD) – Dantata
• Embraer EMB135BJ Legacy 600 (N357TE) – I. Rabiu / BUA Group
• Dassault Falcon 7X (VP-BGG) – Chagoury Group
• Gulfstream GIV (N707EA) – E. Adeboye / Emmanuel Aviation
• Bombardier Challenger 601 (N431CB) – A. Oritsejafor
• Bombardier Challenger 604 (N664D) – D. Oyedepo / Dominion Air / World Mission Agency
• Hawker 800XP (ZS-PCY) – Oando / Triton Aviation
• Hawker 900XP (ZS-BOT) – Oando / Triton Aviation / Hangar8
• Hawker 4000 (ZS-ZOT) – Oando / Triton Aviation / Hangar8
• Bombardier Challenger 300 (VP-BJT) – Triton Aviation

Private and corporate propeller aircraft:

• Beechcraft 1900D (5N-WCI) – Dominion Air
• Beechcraft 1900D (5N-MPA) – Mobil Nigeria
• Beechcraft 350 King Air (5N-MPB) – Mobil Nigeria
• Beechcraft 1900D (5N-MPN) – Mobil Nigeria
• Beechcraft 350 King Air (N404SA) – Dantata / MRS Group
• Beechcraft 350 King Air (5N-FLS) – Julius Berger
• Beechcraft 350 King Air (5N-FLY) – Julius Berger
• Beechcraft 200 King Air (5N-IHS) – Wings Aviation – stored at Lanseria
• Cessna 208A Caravan I Amphibian (5N-BIW) – Pan African Airlines
• Pilatus PC-12 (5N-BNG) – Bala Ibn Na’Allah
• Piper Aztec PA-23 (5N-BGZ) – Africa Contracts and Equipment / MishAviation

Corporate and private helicopters:

• Agusta A109S Grand (M-AZKL) – Azikel Air
• Sikorsky S-76C (5N-BQG) – Nestoil

Updates, additions and corrections are appreciated.

Please note that various foreign charter companies are also active on the Nigerian market, such as VistaJet, Hangar8, Empire Aviation Group, Elit’Avia, FAI rent-a-jet, National Airways Corporation, TAG Aviation, AVjet Corporation, and AmJet Executive. Their aircraft are not included in the list above. The same goes for the foreign registered aircraft operated by JetAlliance (Austria/Germany) for Prime Air Services and Izy Air.

Reminder: If you cite this blog, be certain you provide a link to your source and add to the information provided by your source, rather than simply copying it.

This week’s update

Short updates:

• Dominion Air, which became a charter operator in March 2012, still has no website, although it seems the airline is fully operational. Often spotted at the Dominion Aviation Hangar at Lagos airport are a Challenger 600 (N664D) in new colours and registered to World Mission Agency, as well as a B1900D (5N-WCI; ex-5N-PTL).
• Is Gyro Air, another Lagos-based charter operator, still active? The airline’s website went off-line recently.
• So far, no more information is available about the four ERJ145s, which would be leased by Associated Aviation this month.
• Nigeria suspended all Haji flights, as Saudi Arabia refused entrance to female pilgrims travelling without male guardians.
• The Federal Government has again expressed the intention to financially assist existing airlines to lease newer aircraft and confirmed that a new national airline will be floated before the end of the year in partnership with a major European carrier.
• The Kano State Government has requested the Federal Government to grant Turkish Airlines access to Kano Airport.
• After a report that the number of private aircraft in Nigeria skyrocketed in the past years, the NCAA claimed that there are only ten private jets on the Nigerian register. However, this number doesn’t seem to include the locally registered jets of corporations and charter operators.
• Fly540 failed to commence flights between Accra and Lagos on 24 September 2012.
• RwandAir will introduce its new CRJ900 on the Kigali-Lagos route in October 2012, but the service will be five-weekly rather than daily.
• Air Côte d’Ivoire, which will launch operations in November 2012, plans to serve Lagos from Abidjan. There are no direct flights between the two cities since the demise of Air Nigeria.

Nigerian pastor launches airline: Dominion Air

Nigeria’s richest pastor and self-styled bishop, David Oyedepo (Winners’ Chapel/Living Faith Church), has expanded his vast business empire by floating an airline called Dominion Air. No more details are available about the aim of this venture, but Oyedepo already owns four private jets (a Challenger 604 and Gulfstreams I, IV, and V) and a private hangar at Lagos airport.

Update: Dominion Air operates a B1900D (5N-WCI) and a Challenger 600 (N664D).

New Hangars At Lagos Airport

Three new hangars have been built at Lagos Airport, along runway 18L, next to Caverton’s base.

New Hangars At Lagos Airport (copyright Ken Iwelumo)

The first hangar is constructed for Quits Aviation Services, the second is Caverton’s base, the third belongs to Evergreen Apple Nigeria, and the fourth is built for Dominion Aviation (Dominion Air is an airline owned by Winners’ Chapel/David Oyedepo).