PHOTOS: Multimillion-shilling private jets land in Lamu for Sh2.2tn Dangote refinery groundbreaking

Lamu’s skies witnessed busy traffic as private jets, executive aircraft, and charter planes converged on Manda Airport ahead of the groundbreaking of the Sh2.2 trillion ($16 billion) Dangote East African Refinery.

The aircraft movements offered a clear glimpse of the high-profile gathering expected in the coastal town, with senior government officials, business executives, investors, and other guests travelling to Lamu for the ceremony.

Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 seen by TNX Africa showed several aircraft making their way towards Lamu from Nairobi and Mombasa, a rare air show for the otherwise 6,300-square-kilometer county.

Among the planes carrying the delegates, a few caught our attention. 

Bombardier Global 5500

One of the most striking aircraft recorded along the coastal route was a Bombardier Global 5500, registration 3B-SGT, operated by Guaranty Trust Bank.

The aircraft was tracked at about 16,250 feet after departing Mombasa and heading towards the Lamu area.

The Global 5500 is a long-range business jet built for intercontinental travel. Its standout feature is its ability to cover thousands of kilometres while offering a spacious executive cabin, making it a common choice for senior corporate travelers.

According to aviation valuation and market data from AvBuyer and JetHunter, a new Bombardier Global 5500 is priced at approximately Sh 6.16 billion ($47.4 million), while pre-owned models typically range from Sh4.16 billion ($32 million) to Sh5.2 billion ($40 million) depending on the production year, total flight hours, and overall aircraft condition.

Cessna Citation Excel

From Nairobi, the corporate traffic included a Cessna Citation Excel operated by Phoenix Aviation and registered 5Y-WHB.

The aircraft was tracked climbing to about 32,975 feet as it headed towards the Coast.

The Citation Excel is a midsize business jet known for combining speed and range with a relatively spacious cabin. Unlike larger long-range jets, it is designed primarily for regional and medium-distance executive travel.

Data from Aircraft Bluebook indicates that while upgraded factory-new variants carry a price tag near Sh1.76 billion ($13.5 million), used Citation Excels remain a popular entry point in midsize corporate aviation, selling for between Sh169 million ($1.3 million) and Sh494 million ($3.8 million).

Beechcraft King Air 350i

The movement towards Lamu was not limited to jets.

A Beechcraft King Air 350i, registration 5Y-GNR, was also tracked along the coastal flight corridor at about 25,000 feet.

The twin-engine turboprop is popular for executive and regional travel because it can combine relatively high cruising speeds with the ability to operate from smaller airports.

That flexibility makes the King Air particularly useful when transporting passengers between major cities and smaller destinations such as Lamu.

Aircraft Bluebook puts a firm price on pre-owned units of the 350i between Sh559 million ($4.3 million) for earlier models to around Sh871 million ($6.7 million) for late-production aircraft, compared to a new list price near Sh1 billion ($8 million).

Beechcraft King Air 200

Another King Air was also picked up by the flight tracker, with the Beechcraft King Air 200 registered 5Y-WAO recorded at about 16,900 feet.

The aircraft belongs to a family of turboprops that have been used around the world for executive transport, charter flights and specialised operations.

Its biggest advantage is flexibility. The King Air 200 can carry passengers while using shorter runways than many business jets, making it suited to regional movements where larger aircraft may not be practical.

Valuation metrics from AvBuyer reveal that while newer King Air 200 variants (such as the B200) command up to Sh468 million ($3.6 million), classic pre-owned King Air 200 airframes generally trade from Sh169 million ($1.3 million) to Sh195 million ($1.5 million) on the secondary market.

Cessna Grand Caravan EX

The traffic around Lamu also included smaller aircraft, with two Cessna Grand Caravan EX planes operated by Boskovic Air Charters, registrations 5Y-ZBS and 5Y-ZBP, recorded at about 11,500 feet.

Unlike the sleek business jets, the Grand Caravan is a single-engine turboprop designed to carry passengers and cargo and operate from relatively short airstrips.

That makes it a workhorse for regional aviation, particularly when moving people and equipment between smaller airports.

The unusual concentration of aircraft comes as Lamu hosts the groundbreaking of the Dangote East African Refinery, one of the biggest industrial projects announced in the region.

President William Ruto is expected to preside over the ceremony alongside Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, with senior government officials, investors and other high-profile guests expected to attend.

Dangote arrived in Lamu on Tuesday ahead of the ceremony, landing at Manda Airport as preparations entered their final stages.

The planned refinery will have a processing capacity of about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and is expected to cost about $16 billion.

The facility is intended to supply refined petroleum products to Kenya and other East African markets, reducing the region’s dependence on imported fuel.

The project is also expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and drive wider industrial activity around Lamu.

Photos: Courtesy