Aeronautical Engineers Institute Confers Gold Award On UNA boss
The Executive Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA), Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has been conferred with a gold medal award by the Institute of Nigerian Aeronautical Engineers (INAE), in recognition of the airline’s safety culture, capacity and rapid growth despite a turbulent economic climate.
Dr. Ebitei Charles, the national president of INAE, presented the award at the International Conference Fellowship Conferment in Lagos on July 27.
The award is reserved for individuals whose work has significantly advanced the field of aeronautical engineering.
INAE, a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) regulated by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), said Okonkwo was honoured for steering UNA’s rapid expansion in the five years since its inception, especially at a time there was a global economic downturn as a result of covid.
Okonkwo was represented by Alex Iheuwa, the Airline’s Director of Continuing Airworthiness and Capt. Joan Obasi-Ibraheem, the Chief Pilot who received the award on his behalf.
Speaking at the event, Ebitei said the recognition reflected a shared commitment to advancing safety standards, modernising infrastructure, and building indigenous engineering capacity.
He said UNA and the institute shared priorities that aligned closely with each other.
He also said the council appreciated the airline’s internship programme for aeronautical engineering students, describing it as a quiet but impactful contribution to grooming the next generation of talent.
He also commended the airline’s rigorous safety culture and its role in inspiring resilience and professionalism within Nigeria’s aviation workforce, despite the difficult operating environment.
“These efforts are helping to build the kind of specialised engineering capacity the aviation industry needs to optimise aircraft performance, cut the high costs associated with maintenance, and secure long-term sustainability for Nigerian carriers,” he said.
Also awarded at the event were Arik Air and Xejet while the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, were each conferred with honorary fellowships of the institute.
In his reaction, Okonkwo described it as a validation of the airline’s founding philosophy.
He said the recognition affirmed everything the airline had worked to build which is an operation rooted in safety and sustained investment in capacity.
“This award adds to a growing list of milestones for UNA, which has weathered difficult challenges since its inception,” he said.
Okonkwo recounted one of the airline’s challenging times which was when a batch of 23 pilots sent to South Africa for training were stranded for nine months following international airspace shut down during the covid-19 pandemic.
He said some fell ill and none could return home, yet the airline continued covering their hotel bills and paying salaries throughout the ordeal.
Reflecting on how the carrier pulled through, he said that the airline kept flying and that was what kept it alive.
UNA commenced commercial operations in February 2021 and has since built a diverse, modern fleet.
It now operates more than 15 routes, including Accra, Ghana.
Its growth has continued this year with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Guinea-Bissau to help establish a national carrier for the country.
UNA has also secured the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification, joined the IATA Clearing House, and been admitted as a full member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).
