A 31-year-old Nigerian woman named Adeola Ogunmola Sowemimo has made history as the first Nigerian female to pilot the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the world’s most advanced aircraft.
Adeola’s accomplishment sets her aside as the aviation industry is known to be male-dominated. According to a research from Women in Aviation Board, women make up less than 20% of the workforce in most aviation careers—and only 4.6% of airline transport pilots worldwide.
Nevertheless, Adeola proved to be special and is now flying long-distance international routes for Qatar Airways.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, known for its cutting-edge technology and long-distance capabilities is challenging to pilot. It reaches speeds of Mach 0.85 (1,024 km/h) and carries up to 250 passengers.
- Growing up in Nigeria, Adeola faced early challenges in her education due to religious conflicts that forced her to change schools multiple times.
Still, she remained focused on her dreams. In 2007, she completed her secondary education. Afterward, she enrolled in a pre-degree program at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Oyo State. However, her passion for aviation was prioritized.
