A functionalist explanation of the purchase of the new Nigerian Presidential Airbus A330 Aircraft.

A Structural Functionalist explanation behind the purchase of the new Nigerian Presidential Airbus A330 Aircraft.

By Tom Okure, Ph.D
ICMS, Inc Reports
Date: August 28, 2024

Introduction 

Nigeria's new presidential jet has been trending as a topic, in the regular and social media space. The controversy surrounding the government's decision in favor of purchasing a new and bigger plane stems from the fact that the Nigerian economy is in bad shape. Initially, the government denied making the purchase, but presidential aides laid the foundation and reason to acquire a new plane to add to the existing presidential fleet, noting that the primary plane used by the president for frequent international travel was old, had safety problems, and needed frequent costly repairs. Consequently, presidential aides argued that the old plane which is 19 years old needed to be replaced in favor of a more reliable and adequate plane to convey the president to his frequent international engagements. The 19-year-old smaller presidential jet (Boeing BBJ 737-700) was a brand new aircraft that was bought by former Nigerian president Obasanjo. Suddenly, against the backdrop of previous denials, the Nigerian public was on Monday, August 19, 2024, introduced to Nigeria's new (but used) lavished 160 billion Niara presidential jet, an Airbus A330 Aircraft. Some analysts say the new presidential jet which is so much bigger than any existing plane in the current presidential fleet, will require more expensive operational costs and maintenance.

This article offers a structural-functionalist perspective as an alternative and a better explanation for understanding the policy reasoning behind the controversial purchase of the new Nigerian Airbus A330 Aircraft. Nations act in many ways that defy understanding unless one digs deeper into the unobvious (latent) reasons underpinning their actions. This writer argues that the reason behind the purchase of the new (but used) Nigerian Presidential jet cannot be explained based on the pronouncements of the Tinubu’s aids justifying the purchase, but rather from the latent functions underlying the Nigerian government’s policy decision. This writer argues that the latent function of this new aircraft is symbolic, and prestigious, making the Nigerian government look modern and commensurate with the status of Nigeria as a major oil producer and global leader.

Nigeria's Channels Television

Various expressions of approval and disapproval abound in the social media community. Prominent Nigerians including Ezekwesilli fault the Tinubu administration and the national assembly for making such a ridiculous policy decision to spend such a huge sum of money to buy a plane when the Nigerian population is suffering economic hardship. In the social media space, an X user @Fdmlearn said it wasn’t right that Nigerians were being told to undergo economic pain while the government was buying a new plane for the president. So many citizens appeared very angry and concerned over the government's action, especially because the planes' acquisition and unveiling to the public occurred less than two weeks after thousands of Endbadgovernace protesters had taken to the streets across the country to protest rising hunger and the suffocating high cost of living. One social media critic stated: “Wait so despite the Tinubu-led Government telling Nigerians to bear the economic hardship and wait for a better tomorrow, they were busy paying cash for a new private Jet to add to the presidential fleet that has over 6 aircraft already?”.

President Tinubu was elected in 2023 to head Africa’s most populous country. Since his ascension to power, he has introduced many difficult and unpopular economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, which have had adverse consequences such as high inflation alleged to be over 30% currently. President Tinubu argues that his reforms are necessary to cut government spending and stimulate long-term growth.

 A Better Understanding of Nigerian Government Policy Decision Making

Why did President Tinubu's administration purchase this controversial and alleged luxurious Airbus A330 Aircraft? The answer to this question is best understood from the perspective of the latent function of this aircraft in the reasoning of the Tinubu administration. Having a big presidential plane represents a kind of latent doctrinal formula or assumption adopted from rich and powerful nations like the United States, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, etc, a statement of political ideology expected by the international community from an economically powerful and modern nation. The problem here is that the public does not see the whole picture and reasoning behind why African governments do what they do. Opponents of the purchase say that lawmakers did not approve the purchase, because it was not mentioned in this year’s budget. A social media commentator not understanding the latent function of this plane stated: “Let's tell ourselves the truth. Tinubu's new Airbus presidential aircraft purchase for N150 billion at a time of penury, hunger, and want shows how wicked, selfish, self-indulgent, and insensitive to the plight of the average Nigerian he really is.” Another commentator in X (formerly Tweeter) stated in favor by noting @Timi_The_Law "he supports the president’s decision as the plane is not personal but belongs to the office of the president. “Tinubu's decision to buy a new plane is the right one. The plane belongs to the office of the president, and future presidents will enjoy it,” he posted. These statements mirror the manifest function of the Airbus A330 Aircraft as perceived by the administration supporters of the purchase. But are their perspective of the reasoning behind the purchase correct? This writer disagrees.  

It is reasonable to assume that most economically powerful oil-rich OPEC nations are expected to look and act rich; Nigeria is no exception. 

Nigeria's Channels Television

While the Nigerian public may see the actions of the Tinubu administration as selfish, self-indulgent, and insensitive to the plight of the average Nigerian, this writer argues that it is reasonable to conclude that our Nigerian political leaders see themselves as oil-rich and governing a fast economically growing nation seeking to become an industrial nation. The public pronouncements of political leaders echo this vision of becoming a great nation. Our leaders have grandiose economic development plans such as the Lagos Calabar multibillion-dollar coastal highway under construction. As witnessed by Nigeria's counterpart OPEC nations like Dubia and Suadi Arabia, an oil-rich country thinks big and acts big in all its actions. Looking like them, like other oil-rich nations and powerful economic nations like China, Japan, and the United Kingdom (UK) is the guiding principle that properly explains many of the actions of Nigerian policymakers even when they appear wasteful, unaffordable, and insensitive to the suffering of the poor masses.  

The government doesn't see the huge expenditure for this plane as wasteful. In a statement on X, President Tinubu’s media aide Bayo Onanuga said the new plane would actually save money. He noted that “The new plane, bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly,” according to his statement.

According to a BBC news report, "The new presidential jet was recently released to the Nigerian government after it was seized by a Chinese firm, Zhangson Investment Co. Limited, which obtained a Paris court order to seize some Nigerian government assets following an investment dispute with Ogun state in south-west Nigeria." The new (but used) 15-year-old plane is touted to have an elaborate configuration for VIPs and replaces the country’s 19-year-old Boeing BBJ 737-700. The difference in the ages of the new and old planes is four years. It is reasonable to argue that the choice of the new plane is not in its newness, but perhaps rather lies in its huge size and luxurious interior befitting of Nigeria as the giant of Africa. 

From a functionalist perspective, this writer argues that Nigeria's presidency believes that to be considered a modern oil-rich nation it must do big things, and have a big plane with all the elaborate configurations for VIPs. Whether the country’s 19-year-old Boeing BBJ 737-700 that the new presidential jet replaced had safety problems or was expensive to maintain did not feature properly as the policy rationale to replace it. What is very important to understand here is the fact that the 15-year-old new Nigerian presidential plane is symbolic of the expectations of a modern presidential fleet in form, and serves the demands and expectations of the international community which Nigeria is an active part of.  

Concluding Remarks

Screenshot taken from:
News Nations Television 

Facts obtained in media reports show that Nigeria's new presidential jet is not a new plane but a 15-year-old-plus-used plane. This new plane allegedly is supposed to replace the existing 19-year-old smaller presidential jet that has been effectively performing well and in use until recently when presidential aids started feeding the public with news about its safety.

This article has attempted to provide an alternative potential latent unobvious functionalist explanation from mainstream analysis for the Nigerian government's decision to purchase the new Nigerian Airbus A330 Aircraft. This author has argued that Tinubu's administration's action is commensurate with the trend of many other oil-rich nations that have taken similar actions like the Nigerian government to symbolize and show off their wealth and economic power. Nigeria's policymakers believe that this plane is a necessary aspect of Nigeria's development into a powerful economic nation. The writer wonders why the public is surprised about the plane purchase, especially because unknown and unobvious to the public, before the huge investment was secretly made, Presidential aides laid the foundation leading up to the purchase, by justifying the expenditures for it for safety reasons even in the difficult economic circumstances that the country is facing.

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All rights reserved by Tom Okure, Ph.D. CEO of Inter-Continental Mgt. Systems, Inc. (or ICMS Inc.). ICMS, Inc., is a multifaceted business and management consulting firm with its head office in Albany, New York