BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Lagos Regional Manager of the (NCAA), Barrister Bukola Teriba, has urged women in the aviation industry to take full advantage of what she described as a favourable federal policy environment to aim higher and take on more leadership responsibilities across the sector.
Speaking in Lagos after receiving the “Woman of the Day” award at the 2025 award night organised by (WAI), Teriba said the administration of the President has created space for Nigerian women to demonstrate their competence and professionalism in aviation leadership.
“President Tinubu’s government has given women more leadership opportunities in the aviation sector.
“Women are taking up leadership positions in the sector and it is something we must encourage and also continue to showcase our capabilities as women. We must not disappoint”, she said.
According to her, women are no longer on the margins of the industry but are steadily occupying managerial and decision-making positions across agencies under the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
“The government is empowering women in all fields. Women are not left behind in the industry; we have shown that what men can do women are doing better as you can see with the many performances of our women holding various positions in the industry,” she added.
Teriba used the occasion not only to celebrate progress but also to challenge women to prepare themselves for greater responsibilities.
She emphasised that visibility must be matched with excellence and that opportunities must be met with competence, discipline and integrity.
Reflecting on the broader mission of WAI, she described the organisation as more than a professional association.
“Women in Aviation International is not simply an organisation, it is a movement of momentum. A force that advances women across every career, every field, every layer of this great industry,” she said.
“A platform that does not merely applaud accomplishments, it multiplies them. We exist to encourage, to mentor, to empower and to inspire our members to aspire to the commanding heights of aviation.”
She continued: “Our mission is daring and deliberate, to empower women and men in Nigeria to achieve possibilities they once thought unimaginable, through technology, leadership, and economic transformation.”
Drawing an analogy from the science of flight, Teriba noted that aviation itself offers lessons about collective effort and shared purpose.
“Aviation itself teaches us something profound: no aircraft defies gravity alone. It rises because of alignment, precision, discipline, and trust and that is who we are,” she said.
“We do not exclude, we elevate, we do not wait for opportunity, we engineer it, we connect, we engage, we inspire.”
Encouraging women to seize the moment, she stressed that collaboration among women is critical to the sector’s transformation.
“When women rise together with purpose and preparation, the industry does more than grow, it evolves,” she said, adding a direct message to younger generations: “To every young girl looking at the skies and wondering if there is a place for her, we are the Answer, the sky is not our limit, it is our runway.”
Also speaking at the event was the former Managing Director of the (NAMA), Engineer Nnamdi Udoh, who delivered a keynote address on the theme: ‘Work–Life Balance for Professional Women in Aviation’.
Udoh described aviation as a demanding profession that requires not only technical competence but emotional resilience and personal discipline.
“Aviation is not just a career. It is a calling. It demands precision, discipline, resilience, and sacrifice and says something as critical to safety and sustainability as regulations and procedures is a well thought out work–life balance,” he said.
According to him, maintaining balance is particularly crucial for women who often shoulder multiple responsibilities.
“For professional women in aviation, work–life balance is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Women who keep the aviation industry flying—women who manage aircraft, airports, air traffic, safety systems, policies, finances, crews, and operations, often work under immense pressure and unforgiving timelines,” Udoh added.
He highlighted the round-the-clock nature of the industry and the toll it can take on professionals.
“Our industry operates 24 hours a day, across time zones, weekends, holidays, and emergencies. Many of us juggle shift work, irregular schedules, long duty hours, constant recertification, and high-stakes decision-making, while also carrying responsibilities at home, in our communities, and within ourselves.
“Too often, we are praised for ‘doing it all,’ but rarely supported in doing it well and healthily. Work–life balance does not mean working less or caring less about our profession. It means working smarter, setting boundaries, and recognising that a fatigued, burnt-out professional is a risk—not only to herself, but to the entire aviation system.”
Udoh called on women to advocate for systemic change within organisations.
“As women in aviation, we must advocate not only for safety in the air, but for sustainability on the ground. We must mentor younger women to pursue success without burnout. We must challenge workplace cultures that glorify overwork and instead promote performance with purpose.”
He also urged aviation organisations to view work–life policies as strategic investments.
“To organisations and leaders: supporting work–life balance is not a favour to women, it is an investment in retention, safety, diversity, and long-term industry growth,” he said.
In her remarks, the National President of WAI Nigeria, Mrs. Rejoice Ndudinachi, reflected on the journey of the organisation and its growing impact in the country.
She said the idea and vision of WAI for Nigerian women have firmly taken root and are being championed with courage and conviction.
“From the beginnings, Women in Aviation was born, not merely as an association, but as a movement. A movement driven by purpose, resilience, and the unshakable belief that women belong in every part of the aviation ecosystem: from the cockpit to the control tower, from engineering to leadership, from policy-making to innovation,” she said.
Ndudinachi described the celebration as both a reflection point and a forward-looking call to action.
Her words; “While today is a celebration of our past and present, it is also a call to the future. We must continue to prepare, empower, and position ourselves not only to participate, but to lead. We must keep inspiring the next generation of girls to look up at the sky and see opportunity, not limitation.”
According to her, the milestone event was symbolic.
“Today is not just another gathering. Today is a milestone, a moment to pause, look back, and truly appreciate how far we have come. And how meaningful that we are celebrating it here.”
She paid tribute to trailblazers who paved the way, including Capt. Chinyere Kalu, noting that legacy remains central to WAI’s mission.
“This milestone is also about legacy. It’s about the women who paved the way before us like Capt Chinyere Kalu, and the young girls watching us now, girls who will see aviation not as a barrier, but as a possibility.
“Every one of us matters. Every conversation, every act of encouragement, every time we choose collaboration over competition, we are shaping the future of this organisation.”
Together, the speakers framed a clear message: with supportive policies, deliberate mentorship, institutional reform and personal discipline, Nigerian women are poised not just to participate in aviation, but to lead its next chapter.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
