This study investigated the thin-layer drying kinetics of blanched and unblanched date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L., Khanazi variety) to optimize postharvest preservation in Nigeria. Red and yellow date fruits underwent hot-water blanching (2, 5, 10 min at 50°C) or remained unblanched, followed by convective drying in oven and cabinet dryers at 50, 60, and 70°C (1.4 m/s air velocity). Drying kinetics were analyzed through moisture content, moisture ratio (MR), and drying rate calculations. Thirteen thin-layer drying models were fitted to experimental data, evaluated using coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), reduced chisquare (?²), and sum of squared errors (SSE). Effective moisture diffusivity (Deff) was derived from Fick’s law. Results demonstrated that higher temperatures significantly accelerated drying, reducing time by 38.7% (oven) and 48.1% (cabinet) for unblanched red dates at 70°C versus 50°C. Blanching enhanced drying rates by 20–30%, with 10-min blanched samples reaching equilibrium 8 h faster. All drying curves exhibited only falling-rate periods, indicating diffusion-controlled moisture migration. The Modified Henderson & Pabis model outperformed others (R² > 0.98, RMSE < 0.08) across all conditions. Deff values ranged from 10?¹¹ to 10?¹² m²/s, increasing with temperature in oven drying (e.g., red dates: 1.10 × 10?¹¹ m²/s at 50°C ? 1.41 × 10?¹¹ m²/s at 70°C) but decreasing in cabinet-dried yellow dates due to blanching-induced microstructural changes. The study confirms blanching and elevated temperatures improve drying efficiency, with the Modified Henderson & Pabis model providing robust predictions for date fruit drying kinetics. These insights support reducing postharvest losses and enhancing value addition in Nigeria’s date industry.