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Summary
Flight Lieutenant Kafayat Sanni was named Best Allied Student at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College. She also received the award for Best Assistant Commandant Paper.
Nigeria’s first female fighter pilot, Flight Lieutenant Kafayat Omolara Sanni, has once again made history by emerging as the Best Allied Student at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) in Accra. She also received the award for Best Assistant Commandant Paper at the institution.
The awards were presented on June 20, 2025, during the college’s graduation ceremony, which brought together top military officials and dignitaries from across Africa. The announcement was confirmed in a statement released by the Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame in Abuja.
Flight Lieutenant Kafayat Sanni first made national headlines in 2019 when she was honoured as the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) first-ever female fighter pilot after completing her training in the United States. Since then, she has flown Alpha Jets and led training missions on the Super Mushshak, serving as a certified instructor and mentoring the next generation of NAF pilots.
Her journey of excellence began earlier in September 2017, when she graduated top of her class from the 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna. This achievement earned her a place in the U.S.-based Aviation Leadership Programme, where she underwent intensive flight training, including specialised English courses in Texas and advanced combat instruction at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi over an 18-month period.
Flight Lieutenant Kafayat’s legacy, alongside that of the late Tolulope Arotile, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, reflects the Nigerian Air Force’s broader commitment to gender inclusion.
Beyond her personal achievements, Kafayat’s career is a testament to Nigeria’s rising influence in regional defence leadership and the military’s continued efforts to foster diversity in its ranks.
