Captain Chinyere Onyenucheya Kalu is recognised as the first female commercial pilot in Nigeria. Born in Akwete, Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State in 1970, Kalu often credits a maternal aunt as her major source of inspiration.
That aunt was the first person from their village to travel to the United Kingdom, and when Kalu told her she wanted to fly, the aunt encouraged her. In a 2012 interview with Vanguard, Kalu recalled how her aunt played a decisive role in her career choice:
My aunt, who was my mentor, was the first person to travel to the United Kingdom from my village, so she was some kind of a celebrity of her time. When I mentioned the idea of flying to her, she just felt, ‘This is your opportunity, don’t even look back, just make the most of it, grab it.
With that blessing, Kalu’s mother also gave her support, and the path was set. She grew up in a large and supportive family, mostly under the care of her mother after her parents separated, and her childhood was shaped by the influence of her aunt, who was a nurse.
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Education and Flight Training
Kalu attended Anglican Girls Grammar School in Yaba, Lagos State, before enrolling at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, Kaduna State, in 1978 as part of the SP.12 batch.
She graduated in 1981 as both a private and commercial pilot, officially earning her commercial pilot’s licence on May 20, 1981, a first for any Nigerian woman. She later pursued advanced aviation and transport courses in the United Kingdom and the United States, further deepening her expertise and credentials in the field.
Career Milestones
After earning her licence, Kalu began her career at Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), where she would later return as an instructor and eventually as the Rector and Chief Executive, the first woman to hold the position in the institution’s history.
She was appointed to the role in October 2011 by then-President Goodluck Jonathan and served until February 2014. Her resilience and professionalism earned her widespread respect. In 2006, she received the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) award from the Nigerian government in recognition of her contributions to the aviation sector.
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She was also named one of Nigeria’s 50 Greatest Women during the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebration in 2011. Throughout her career, Kalu acknowledged that she faced numerous obstacles, including gender bias and regional prejudice. She said:
If you are not from the right part of the country, if you don’t speak the right language, you won’t get all the support and encouragement. I suffered a lot because of that. Some people felt I was a threat to them, but God has been faithful.
Personal Life and Family
Beyond her groundbreaking career, Captain Kalu is also a wife and mother. She is married to Mr. Onyenucheya and they have three children, two daughters and a son. She has often spoken about the balance between her demanding profession and family life. In a Punch interview in 2020, she noted:
I have a very understanding husband. I also try to be well-organised and maintain a timetable where I lay out all my activities ahead of time. I make sure I am involved in whatever my children do as much as I can.
She also explained that she chose to focus on training and instruction rather than pursuing a full-time airline career, as it allowed her more stability for her family:
As a commercial pilot, I would have to travel constantly. I felt that would be difficult for me as a wife and mother.
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Challenges and Flying Experiences
Kalu’s journey has not been without turbulence. She recounted her first solo flight on June 6, 1978. She told Vanguard:
My instructor said to me, ‘Go, if you like, kill yourself.’ Instead of being afraid, I felt relaxed. I was singing and praising God while flying. It was one of the happiest days of my life.
She also survived a plane crash in 2006 while training students. She described the incident vividly:
We lost engine power mid-air. I took over control, and by God’s grace, we landed safely on a guinea corn field. None of us came out with a scratch; it was a miracle.
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These experiences, she said, strengthened her faith and her resolve to keep mentoring others in aviation. In her career, she has spoken openly about how she was p being considered perceived as a threat because she dared to excel in a profession that was then male-dominated.
However, her courage to defy stereotypes and her enduring passion for aviation paved the way for younger women to take up the profession without fear. Captain Kalu remains a towering figure in Nigerian aviation and a role model for women in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field, as well as in leadership.
