Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited
A renowned Economist, financial analyst and Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane will deliver keynote speech at the 2025 Conference of League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC).
The 29th edition of the annual conference of the aviation journalists, with the theme: “Aviation Financing in Nigeria: The Risks, Opportunities and Prospects,” holds August 7, 2025 at The Providence Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.
The landmark event has drawn substantial industry interest and endorsements, with robust participation anticipated from across the aviation and finance spectrum.
Rewane, a respected voice in Nigeria’s economic and financial policy circles, will bring deep insights into macroeconomic trends, investment flows, and sustainable financing strategies critical to the aviation sector’s future.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr Gbenga Alade will be the Chairman at the conference, while aviation economist and Chairman of Sabre Central and West Africa, Dr Gabriel Gbenga Olowo will deliver a keynote address focused on industry dynamics and the economics of air transport. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK), has that he will attend as Special Guest of Honour, to lend crucial government perspective to the conversation around financing frameworks, reforms, and policy directions.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, will deliver a regulatory goodwill message, affirming the Authority’s commitment to an enabling investment environment and sustainable oversight regime.
A diverse panel of seasoned professionals from various segments of the aviation value chain will drive technical sessions.
The panelists include: Chairman, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Mr Alex Nwuba, Former General Manager of the defunct Nigeria Airways now Chief Executive of Belujane Konzult, Mr Chris Aligbe, Chief Executive Officer of CITA Energies Limited, Dr Thomas Ogungbangbe, Chief Executive Officer of TopBrass Aviation,Captain Roland Iyayi, Managing Director/Chief Executive of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku and Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Dr Obiora Okonkwo,
Speaking on the final stage of preparations, Chairman of the 20025 LAAC Conference Committee, Mr Wole Shadare said:“We are fully ready to host what promises to be one of the most consequential conversations on aviation financing in Nigeria’s recent history.
The addition of Mr Bismarck Rewane brings further intellectual weight to an already robust programme. Delegates can expect high-impact sessions and practical policy recommendations that speak directly to Nigeria’s aviation financing realities.
”He added that the event will also feature the unveiling of a compendium titled: “Celebrating Champions of Aviation Development” – a commemorative publication profiling individuals, institutions, and governments that have significantly contributed to Nigeria’s aviation sector since 1999.
The key thematic areas to be addressed at the conference include: Infrastructure investment and airport modernisation, Aircraft leasing and financing strategies, Funding Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operations, Jet A1 supply and pricing mechanisms, Regulatory reforms and consumer protection, Navigational infrastructure and technology investment, Insurance and risk management.
The organisers assured stakeholders of a seamless and engaging event, with robust logistics already in place and all strategic partners confirming participation.
The conference which enjoys the endorsement of aviation regulatory agencies, local and international airlines, state governments, ground handling firms, and financial institutions, reinforcing its status as a premier platform for aviation dialogue and stakeholders’ engagement.
