Captain Chinyere Kalu: Meet The First Nigerian Female Pilot

Captain Chinyere Kalu was born in 1970. She is the first female pilot in Nigeria. A woman grew up in a very supportive big family. She decided to begin her career in Aviation because of her adventurous aunt. Her aunt was well famous for traveling abroad a lot of times. They had the matriarch in their family, so her aunt approved Chinyere’s decision and so a lady began her career into aviation.

The first female Nigerian pilot is Chinyere Kalu, who studied in Anglican Girls Grammar School, which is in Yaba, in Lagos. Then she was trained as a Commercial and Private Pilot. She also took a few aviation courses in Zaria, UK, and the USA.

Chinyere Kalu always wanted to travel the world and have an adventurous lifestyle. So she decided to take up the truly male dominated and very difficult career in order to become the first female pilot in Nigeria.

Nigeria first female fighter pilot is married to Mr. Okoli Kali and has children. 6 years ago President Goodluck Jonathan proclaimed her the Chief Executive and Rector of Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (which is mostly known as NCAT) - which is the biggest aviation training institute in the whole continent.

Before that, Chinyere Kalu was leading the College’s Flying School. There Chinyere Kalu worked as a contractual instructor.