Nigerian billionaire industrialist, Abdul Samad Rabiu has sealed a deal to purchase Bombardier’s flagship Global 8000 business jet.
On Thursday, December 4, 2025, Rabiu signed the purchase agreement with Bombardier executives at BUA’s office in Dubai, according to company insiders. The new aircraft will join the group’s existing Challenger 350 and Global 6500, effectively giving BUA one of the most modern corporate jet line-ups owned by a Nigerian company.
The ultra-long-range Global 8000 is designed to fly non-stop from Lagos to New York or Dubai to Houston, a capability that fits neatly with BUA’s expanding footprint across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. For Rabiu, who runs major cement, foods, ports and energy operations, the jet is as much a tool of execution as it is a symbol of status.
In the past two years, BUA has moved aggressively on multiple fronts. The group is investing over $65 million of its own capital to reconstruct Terminal B at the Rivers Port Complex in Port Harcourt, positioning itself as a serious long-term player in maritime infrastructure. It is also pressing ahead with an integrated refinery project in Akwa Ibom, expected to come on stream in 2025, alongside a dedicated gas-fired power plant to support operations.
On the cement side, BUA Cement has ramped up capacity in Sokoto and Edo while posting double-digit revenue and profit growth, helped by Rabiu’s controversial but popular decision to push for lower cement prices in Nigeria. A separate $200 million corporate finance facility arranged by the Africa Finance Corporation and Afreximbank has further boosted the group’s balance sheet and firepower for new projects.