Obiora Okonkwo

Nigerian engineer who created Africa's first indigenous aircraft

Professor Obiora Okonkwo (1930-2018) designed and built the AFRICA ONE aircraft using locally sourced materials, defying colonial-era limitations. A graduate of Nigeria's first engineering program at the University of Ibadan, he pioneered aerospace engineering in West Africa through his Nigerian Aeronautics Research Institute. His 1965 prototype, constructed from mahogany and recycled automobile parts, completed a 12-hour flight from Lagos to Accra.

Okonkwo's AFRICA TWO design (1972) incorporated solar panels and bamboo composites, predating modern green aviation by decades. He trained over 300 technicians through his Black Engineers Program, establishing aircraft maintenance schools across seven African countries. His 1980 book African Solutions for African Skies argued for regional aerospace independence. Despite lacking government funding, his 1990s Okonkwo Propulsion System became the basis for modern vertical takeoff drones. The Enugu Okonkwo International Airport honors his contributions, and his original aircraft are displayed at the Lagos Aerospace Museum.