Captain Adeola Ogunmola Sowemimo made history in 2018 as the first Nigerian woman to pilot a Boeing 787 Dreamliner for Qatar Airways.
At just 28, she has proven that dedication and hard work can break barriers in male-dominated fields.
Born on October 16, 1990, in Kaduna, Nigeria, Adeola faced early struggles, including religious conflicts that forced her to switch schools multiple times. Despite these obstacles, she remained focused on her education. After completing high school, she began a pre-degree course but later pursued her true passion — aviation.
From 2009 to 2010, she trained at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria. To further develop her skills, she continued her studies at Sunrise Aviation Inc. in Florida, USA.
Captain Adeola Ogunmola Sowemimo made history in 2018 as the first Nigerian woman to pilot a Boeing 787 Dreamliner for Qatar Airways.
At just 28, she has proven that dedication and hard work can break barriers in male-dominated fields.
Born on October 16, 1990, in Kaduna, Nigeria, Adeola faced early struggles, including religious conflicts that forced her to switch schools multiple times. Despite these obstacles, she remained focused on her education. After completing high school, she began a pre-degree course but later pursued her true passion — aviation.
From 2009 to 2010, she trained at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria. To further develop her skills, she continued her studies at Sunrise Aviation Inc. in Florida, USA.
Captain Adeola Ogunmola’s pilot career
According to Vanguard Nigeria, Adeola launched her career in 2013 as a First Officer with Medview Airlines in Lagos, flying Boeing 737 planes. Her talent quickly earned her a promotion to the Boeing 767-300ER.
Her big break came in 2018 when she joined Qatar Airways, becoming the first Nigerian woman to pilot the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In 2020, she began flying the Lagos-to-Abuja route for the airline. The Boeing 787, capable of reaching speeds over 1,000 km/h, now carries up to 250 passengers across long-distance routes under Adeola’s experienced command.
