Nigeria Gets First Female Navy Aircraft Pilot

Lt. Changfe Maigari becomes the first female pilot in the Nigerian Navy (NN) since its inception in 1964. Maigari was born in Kaduna and is from Plateau State’s Langtang North Local Government Area. She is married with a daughter.

Her adventure began in 2016 with her graduation from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and commissioning as a Sub Lieutenant. She later served on the Nigerian Navy ship Unity.

The milestone was commemorated on Friday during the 2024 NN Ceremonial Sunset at the Naval Training Command Headquarters (HQ NAVTRAC) in Ebube-Eleme, Rivers State, where she was honored with the ‘Pilot Wing’ award.

In an interview at the event, Maigari reflected on her achievement, saying, “I grew up in a military environment as my father was an officer in the Nigerian Air Force. From an early age, I aspired to become a military pilot, and when the opportunity to join the Navy arose, I did not hesitate.”

She described how she joined the Navy and how she was one of the first 20 female regular cadets to train at the NDA. She received the Gold Medal Navy award in 2016 for being the Best Graduating Cadet in Academics. She finished her Sub Lieutenant Technical Course as the top student overall in 2019.

“There were moments during my training when it seemed I might not succeed in my studies or flight procedures, but I persevered,” Maigari said.

“Becoming the first female pilot in the Nigerian Navy feels surreal and a significant milestone, not only for me but for all my female colleagues who can draw inspiration from this achievement. I also hope my success motivates young civilian girls aspiring to join the military, particularly the Nigerian Navy, to persist because perseverance can overcome any challenge in life,” she added.

Maigari thanked God, her colleagues, and her family for their constant support in enabling her reach this historic milestone.