Kafayat Sanni,Nigeria’s First Female Fighter Pilot, Wins Top Honours At Ghana’s Military College

By Rosalia Ozibo

Nigeria’s first female fighter pilot, Flt. -Lt. Kafayat Sanni has emerged as the Best Allied Student at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Accra.

She also received the Best Assistant Commandant Paper award, further solidifying her status as a trailblazer in Nigeria’s military aviation history.

According to a statement released on Saturday by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the awards were announced during the College’s graduation ceremony held on Friday, which was attended by top military leaders and dignitaries from across Africa.

The NAF said that Sanni has maintained impressive records when she was decorated as the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) first female fighter pilot after completing her pilot training in the U.S.

“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,” the NAF statement said.

According to the statement, Sanni’s performance at the Ghanaian military institution stood out among other allied officers.

Backstory 

This is the latest in a series of achievements by Kafayat Sanni, who, on October 15, 2019, was winged at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja as the country’s first female fighter pilot in the history of the Nigerian Air Force.

Her journey into aviation began in December 2012 when she enlisted in the Nigerian Air Force, following a passion for flight that had taken root in her youth

By September 2017, she had graduated from the 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna as the top student in her class. This academic and training excellence earned her a spot in the U.S.-based Aviation Leadership Programme, where she completed intensive flight preparation, including specialized English courses in Texas and advanced combat instruction at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, over roughly 18 months

Her legacy, alongside Late Tolulope Arotile, the first female combat helicopter pilot, shows the Nigerian Air Force’s broader push toward gender inclusion.

A symbol of national leadership  

Air Commodore Ejodame noted that Sanni’s latest achievement is not just a personal milestone, but a reflection of Nigeria’s role in advancing military professionalism and gender inclusion in Africa’s defence community.

“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,” he said.

The Nigerian Air Force linked Sanni’s development to the leadership and reforms implemented by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar.

 

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