Women professionals in aviation and environmental engineering gathered in Abuja,on the 9th of March 2026, to celebrate International Women’s Day, with industry leaders calling for stronger mentorship, leadership development and greater inclusion of women across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The event, organised by the Women in Aviation International (WAI) Abuja Chapter in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Environmental Engineers (NIEE), Abuja Chapter, provided a platform for professionals to reflect on the 2026 International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain.”
Chairperson of the Women in Aviation International Abuja Chapter, Mrs Susan Okewu, highlighted the growing representation of women in leadership roles across aviation agencies, noting that recent appointments of women to key positions reflect increasing recognition of their contributions to the development of the industry.
She commended the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for supporting gender inclusion through the appointment of female directors across aviation agencies.
Delivering the keynote address, President of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Engineer Chinyere Nnenna Igwegbe, said the theme “Give to Gain” underscores the importance of mentorship, knowledge sharing and professional support in building stronger institutions and future leaders.
In her goodwill message, Director of Human Resources and Administration from Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Anastasia Gbem, stressed that empowering women has far-reaching benefits for society, urging professionals to extend support to women who lack access to opportunities.
Also speaking, Director of Air Transport Regulation from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Mrs Olayinka Theresa Babaoye-Iriobe, emphasised the need for intentional mentorship within organisations to strengthen the pipeline of female professionals and future industry leaders.
Participants highlighted the expanding roles of women across aviation and engineering fields and called for stronger mentorship networks, scholarship opportunities and policies that promote gender equality in the sector.
Participants at the event were drawn from several aviation agencies including the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).