First female pilot of Nigerian customs gets U.S. commercial licence

The first female pilot of the Nigeria Customs Service, Nafisat Balogun, has secured a commercial multi-engine pilot licence in the United States of America.

The NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, announced this in a statement on Sunday.

Following the feat, Ms Balogun, a customs superintendent, was honoured at a ceremony recently organised by the Nigeria Customs Technical Hangar Service.

According to the statement, Ms Balogun’s achievement marked a historic milestone as she became the first female pilot in the NCS, a field dominated by men.

He described her resilience, discipline and determination as a motivation for officers to strive for success and leverage new opportunities within the service.

Speaking at the celebration, the managing director of the hangar service, Kuhi Mbaya, described Ms Balogun’s journey as inspiring and transformative.

Mr Mbaya described her achievement as a source of pride for NCS, noting that the officer had risen from a cabin attendant to a fully-fledged commercial pilot.

“This is a great achievement not only for her but for the entire service,” he said.

Mr Mbaya said that her accomplishment had set a precedent in the service and reflected the evolving opportunities within it.

“For the first time, we now have a female pilot in the NCS. She has set a record, and it is important that we celebrate and recognise this milestone,” he said.

He urged women to take Ms Balogun’s accomplishment as a charge to pursue their ambitions in specialised fields without fear, as barriers were being broken for them to thrive.

“This achievement shows that there are no limits. The glass ceiling has been shattered, and with determination and consistency, more women can achieve their dreams,” Mr Mbaya said.

He also commended the comptroller-general of customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for his leadership and constant support for gender inclusion within the service.

Ms Balogun thanked the NCS for believing in her capacity and for supporting her in achieving the feat.

She reaffirmed her commitment to discharge her duties diligently and to continue serving with dedication, integrity, and professionalism.

In 2024, the NCS announced that Ms Balogun had made history as the first female pilot in the service, rising from a cabin crew member to a trailblazer in aviation.

(NAN)