BUA Chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu takes delivery of $81m Bombardier Global 8000 private jet
By Aboki Forex —
Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group and one of Africa's richest businessmen, has taken delivery of a Bombardier Global 8000 private jet worth approximately $81 million. The ultra-long-range aircraft can fly up to 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometres) without refuelling. It can fly nonstop from Lagos to New York or from Dubai to Houston.
Rabiu confirmed the delivery on Tuesday, June 9, with a post on his official Instagram page. He simply stated: 'Alhamdu Lillah. A new addition. Global 8000.'
The purchase follows a reported agreement made on December 4, 2025, at BUA Group's offices in Dubai after negotiations with Bombardier executives. Depending on interior customisation, the aircraft is said to be worth between $85 million and $95 million. It is one of the few such jets acquired by an African businessman.
The Global 8000 joins BUA Group's existing fleet, which includes a Challenger 350 and a Global 6500. The conglomerate now has one of the most comprehensive executive aircraft fleets among African business groups, according to BusinessDay.
Key features of the Bombardier Global 8000
The aircraft reaches speeds of up to Mach 0.94 and even exceeded the speed of sound during testing. It has an ultra-long range of 8,000 nautical miles. The cabin is split into four separate zones for work, dining, entertainment and rest. It can land on shorter runways, giving access to more airports than similar jets. Advanced comfort systems include low cabin altitude, circadian lighting and improved air quality to reduce jet lag.
The Global 8000 can carry up to 19 passengers. It is equipped with advanced air filtering, lower cabin altitude and better seating configurations for long-distance travel. Its lighting systems are designed to reduce fatigue.
BUA Group expansion and Rabiu's net worth
Rabiu's purchase comes at a time of extensive growth for BUA Group. The conglomerate has ventures in cement, food processing, agriculture, infrastructure, ports, real estate and energy. The Global 8000 is expected to enhance executive travel across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America, cutting travel time and eliminating stopovers.
As of 2026, Rabiu's net worth was estimated at $11.2 billion. That is an increase of $6.1 billion over the previous year. Most of the growth came from BUA Cement, which is listed on the stock exchange. BUA Foods, the group's food division, also posted remarkable growth. Its profit after tax for the first quarter of 2026 was N142.32 billion, compared to N125.28 billion for the same period in 2025.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Rabiu would earn a N189.74 billion dividend from his stake in BUA Cement Plc. The company declared a N10.00 dividend per share at its 10th Annual General Meeting in Abuja. Rabiu holds a 56.03% stake in BUA Cement, amounting to 18.974 billion shares out of 33.864 billion outstanding shares. That makes him the largest beneficiary of the dividend.