An 18-year-old girl from Ugbawka, Nkanu East LGA of Enugu State has emerged winner of the second edition of the Southeast Aviation Summit Eastwing Youth Competition, SASEYC 2.0, earning a scholarship after competing among young aviation enthusiasts.
An 18-year-old girl, Felix Favour Chinecherem, from Nkanu East LGA, Enugu State, has emerged winner of the South-East Aviation Summit/Eastwing Youth Competition (SASEYC) 2.0, earning a scholarship opportunity after competing with other young aviation enthusiasts.
The competition formed part of the SASEYC 2.0 summit held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Bon Platinum Hotel, Enugu, under the theme, “Advancing Youth Potentials Through Aviation Innovation and Excellence.”
The event brought together more than 50 young participants, secondary school students, aviation enthusiasts and industry stakeholders for discussions, training and competition designed to expose young people to career opportunities within the aviation sector.
The initiative was organised by the Eastwing Youth Foundation, the non-profit arm of Eastwing Aviation Institute.
The 2026 edition followed the format earlier announced by the organisers, which involved training and screening stages designed to produce 10 finalists before the final competition. The eventual winner was to receive a scholarship from Eastwing Aviation Institute.
In his opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Eastwing Aviation Institute, Dr Christopher Edeh, said the initiative was established to give young people access to opportunities and early exposure to aviation that previous generations may not have had.
Reflecting on his experience in the Nigerian Air Force, Edeh said young people should be introduced to aviation early enough to help them make informed career decisions in areas including piloting, aircraft maintenance engineering and other specialised fields.
He stressed the importance of developing credible training opportunities locally so that aspiring aviation professionals would not necessarily have to travel abroad before accessing quality training.
Edeh also discussed some of the operational challenges that have affected the sustainability of airlines in Nigeria, highlighting the importance of regular aircraft maintenance, payment of workers’ salaries, mandatory retraining of pilots and engineers, and effective management of operational resources.
He commended the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for its regulatory role in enforcing safety standards within the industry.
The Eastwing Aviation Institute has previously highlighted partnerships and training pathways intended to expand access to aviation education in the South-East. The institute’s published programme for SASEYC 2.0 includes training in hospitality, customer care, aviation, ticketing and hotel reservations, culminating in a scholarship for the overall winner.
The Father of the Day, HRH Igwe Dr Lawrence Agubuzu, commended the organisers for promoting aviation education and manpower development.
Agubuzu encouraged young people to overcome their fear of flying and take advantage of opportunities within the sector.
He stressed that aviation extends beyond piloting, identifying aircraft maintenance engineering, cabin crew services, aviation operations and management, safety oversight, air traffic services, ticketing, passenger support, aviation security and administration as some of the career pathways available in the industry.
He encouraged young people to pursue specialised training and professional certifications that could improve their prospects within the aviation sector.
Agubuzu had earlier endorsed the 2026 SASEYC initiative and urged young people to acquire practical and specialised skills. The summit was subsequently moved to October 3, 2026, from its earlier September date.
The Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Dr Ibrahim Bello Bashir, drew attention to the global demand for aviation professionals and the need for young Nigerians to acquire relevant technical skills.
Bashir referenced Boeing projections showing that the global civil aviation industry would require nearly 2.5 million new aviation personnel between 2019 and 2038.
Boeing’s published 2019 Pilot and Technician Outlook indeed projected a need for nearly 2.5 million new aviation personnel globally over that period, including pilots, technicians and cabin crew.
He said Nigeria’s large youth population could benefit from the demand if young people were properly trained and equipped with internationally relevant skills.
Bashir stressed that opportunities in aviation extend beyond the cockpit and encouraged participants to also explore other technical and emerging fields, including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The founding partner of Aeropath and CEO of Ubuntu HR Consulting, Laure Jifack, focused on the shortage of technical personnel in Africa’s aviation industry, particularly aircraft maintenance professionals.
She emphasised the importance of engineers and certified maintenance technicians to aviation safety and said the shortage presented an opportunity to develop a stronger indigenous aviation workforce.
Jifack also highlighted the potential for collaboration between Eastwing Aviation Institute and Aeropath in identifying young talent, expanding access to training and connecting aspiring aviation professionals to internationally recognised qualifications, including EASA Part 66 certification.
She identified training costs, travel requirements and lengthy training periods as some of the barriers limiting access to aviation careers for young Africans.
One of the highlights of the summit was the presentation of certificates to the top 10 finalists of the SASEYC 2.0 competition.
The overall winner, Felix Favour Chinecherem, became emotional after her name was announced.
Chinecherem said she had dreamed of pursuing a career in aviation since she was 10 years old and expressed appreciation to God, the organisers and others who gave her the opportunity to participate.
She urged young people not to abandon their dreams because of difficulties, stressing the importance of perseverance in overcoming challenges.
Her emergence as winner represents the central objective of SASEYC: identifying young talent, providing early exposure to aviation and creating pathways into professional training.
The convener of the summit and Chief Executive Officer of Artmatazz Media, Christian Agadibe, reflected on the growth of the initiative since its inaugural edition.
Agadibe recalled that the first SASEYC produced Uyammadu Ifechukwu Franklin as its winner. Franklin subsequently received a full scholarship to study Aircraft Maintenance Engineering at Eastwing Aviation Institute.
Earlier reports confirmed that Franklin, who won the maiden competition after competing against 50 other young participants, had progressed into practical aviation training through the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).
The second edition builds on that foundation by bringing young people into direct contact with aviation professionals, educators and industry stakeholders while exposing them to career opportunities across the sector.
The presentation of certificates to the top 10 finalists and the recognition of participants and distinguished guests brought the summit to a close.
For the young people who gathered in Enugu, SASEYC 2.0 provided an opportunity to learn about aviation careers, interact with professionals and gain a clearer understanding of the skills and qualifications required to pursue careers in the industry.
The initiative’s organisers said the broader objective remains to expose young people early, provide relevant training and create opportunities for them to develop the expertise needed to participate in Nigeria’s and Africa’s aviation industry.
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