Nigeria’s First Female Fighter Pilot Achieves Top Recognition in Ghana

Flight Lieutenant Kafayat Sanni, the first female combat pilot from Nigeria, has achieved a notable milestone at the esteemed Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) located in Accra.

At GAFCSC, Sanni was honored as the Best Allied Student and also earned the Best Assistant Commandant Paper award.

This information was revealed in a release issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Saturday in Abuja.

Ejodame stated that the accolades were given on Friday during the College’s graduation event, which had in attendance senior military personnel and distinguished guests from different African countries.

He mentioned that Sanni first gained national attention in 2019 when she became the Nigerian Air Force’s first female fighter pilot, after successfully completing her training in the United States.

“Since then, she has flown the Alpha Jet as well as undertaken training sorties on the Super Mushshak as a prolific instructor pilot, producing and mentoring younger pilots for the NAF.”

“Her outstanding performance at GAFCSC not only symbolises personal excellence and resilience but also underscores Nigeria’s growing leadership in regional defence and commitment to gender inclusion in the armed forces.”

“This remarkable achievement further reflects the Nigerian Air Force’s strategic investment in human capital development under the visionary leadership of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar,” he said.