…As airline clinches three awards at 15th NIGAV

Adebote Adeyemi

Arik Air’s Cabin Crew member, Adeyemi Adebote has been crowned the 2026 King of the Air at the 15th Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV) Awards and Ministerial dinner held at the NIGAV Centre, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos at the weekend.

The airline also won two other awards at the prestigious NIGAV awards which aimed at promoting unity, healthy competition, and growth within Nigeria’s aviation industry.

Arik Air’s Captain Olufemi Adesunloye and First Officer Auwal Wali were selected winners in the prestigious Heroic Performance Recognition Award while the airline won the Best Airline Passenger Front Desk Service Award.

The King of the Air competition was highly contested by Cabin Crew members from other airlines in Nigeria and Adebote’s victory is a testament of Arik Air’s investment in human capital development and adherence to strict regulatory processes.

This is the third time an Arik Air Crew member will be winning the King of the Air contest. Patrick Ekehinde won the second edition of the competition in 2022 while Tyger Opunabo won the 2024 edition.

The Heroic Performance Recognition Award was given to Captain Olufemi Adesunloye and First Officer Auwal Wali for their feat in safely landing the airline’s Boeing 737-800NG that suffered a mid-air engine explosion on February 11, 2026.

The award is a high-level recognition honour designed to celebrate individuals who exhibited extra-ordinary courage, composure, and effectiveness in critical situations.

The Best Airline Passenger Front Desk Award is for the airline’s friendliness and effective customer service from ticketing and check-in to boarding.

Commenting on the awards, Arik Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu said: “We are delighted with the awards, which reflect the high level of professionalism that defines our airline.”

“ We are grateful to the organizers of NIGAV for finding Arik Air worthy of these recognitions. We remain dedicated to maintaining and advancing the highest standards of efficiency within Nigeria’s aviation industry.”

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