The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has honoured Superintendent of Customs Nafisat Balogun following her outstanding achievement of obtaining a commercial multi-engine pilot license in the United Kingdom, marking a historic milestone in the service’s aviation operations.
The celebration, organised by the Nigeria Customs Technical Hangar Service, brought together senior officers, management staff, and colleagues to recognise Balogun’s breakthrough, which also establishes her as the first female pilot in the history of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the Customs Technical Hangar Service, retired Comptroller of Customs Captain Kuhi Mbaya, described her journey as both inspiring and transformative, noting that her progression from cabin attendant to certified commercial pilot reflects exceptional dedication and resilience.
According to him, the achievement represents a major step forward for gender inclusion and professional development within the service. He added that Balogun’s success has set a new benchmark and opened doors for more women to pursue specialised aviation roles within the organisation.
Captain Mbaya also commended the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for fostering an enabling environment that supports gender equity and capacity development within the service.
He further encouraged women across the organisation to pursue their ambitions without limitation, stressing that barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields are increasingly being broken.
In her remarks, Superintendent of Customs (Pilot) Nafisat Balogun expressed gratitude to the management and colleagues of the service for their support throughout her training and career progression.
She described the journey as challenging but fulfilling, noting that her achievement was made possible through consistent encouragement from the leadership of the service and her determination to excel.
Balogun reaffirmed her commitment to professionalism and service excellence, pledging to uphold the values of the Nigeria Customs Service in her new capacity as a commercial pilot.
The event also featured goodwill messages from colleagues who described her success as a source of inspiration, particularly for women in the service, and a demonstration of what perseverance and discipline can achieve.
Her milestone is being widely celebrated within the Nigeria Customs Service as a significant advancement in professional diversification and gender representation in technical and aviation roles.
