May 21, (THEWILL) – Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, is set to attend the launch of a landmark book titled “100 Years of Civil Aviation in Nigeria: History, Issues and Prospects” on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Lagos.
The book’s author, Mr. Wole Shadare, an aviation editor with the New Telegraph newspaper, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
According to Shadare, other prominent industry figures expected at the launch include the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Umar Farouk; former NCAA DG, Dr. Harold Demuren; Chairman of Resort Group, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN); former President of the Aviation Safety Round Table (ART), Dr. Gabriel Olowo; and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Togo, Mr. Debo Adesina.
The book launch will take place at the GolfView Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, with Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) serving as chairman of the event.
Shadare described the 25-chapter publication as a “compendium of facts and figures” chronicling Nigeria’s aviation journey over the last century. He said it would serve as a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals seeking insights into the sector’s evolution from 1925 to 2025.
In his foreword, Dr. Demuren praised the book for offering a well-rounded historical and contemporary perspective of Nigeria’s aviation industry. “This work contains vital information that airline operators, aviation professionals, regulators, service providers, students, and researchers will find immensely beneficial,” he said.
He added that beyond its historical account, the book examines pressing contemporary issues such as regulatory challenges, agency management, bilateral air service agreements, aero-politics, and the controversial debates around Nigeria’s national carrier.
The book will be reviewed by Prof. Anthony Kila, a Jean Monnet Professor of Strategy and Development and Director at the Commonwealth Institute for Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), Lagos.
As part of the event, the maiden edition of the Aviation Metric Colloquium will also be held. The annual forum is designed to bring together aviation stakeholders to explore solutions to the industry’s pressing challenges.
The theme for this year’s colloquium is: “Issues in the Growth and Development of Aviation in Nigeria: A Critical Perspective.”
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
