2027 Aviation Hall of Fame: NAMA boss Farouk Umar, pioneer MD, Ibrahim Auyo nominated for induction

As preparations for the 2027 edition of the Nigeria Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) gain momentum, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, has been officially notified of his selection for induction into the prestigious body.

In a press statement signed by NAMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr Abdullahi Musa, the agency said Umar was nominated in recognition of his transparent leadership style and impeccable service record.

The formal notification letter, dated September 21, 2026, was presented in Abuja on Wednesday by the organisation’s co-founders, Wole Shadare and Gboyega Adeoye.

Also named among the distinguished honorees is the pioneer Managing Director of NAMA, Engr. Ibrahim Usman Auyo.

Auyo played a central role in the think tank that midwifed the agency. His journey to the helm began in 1997 during an African regional planning committee meeting with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), where his key contributions caught the attention of global aviation leaders.

A major resolution from that landmark meeting urged nations with expanding aviation sectors to decouple airport management from air navigation and regulatory oversight. Nigeria adopted the recommendation, leading to the enactment of the enabling legislation and the formal establishment of NAMA in 1999.

Given the critical and sensitive nature of air navigation, stakeholder consensus dictated that the pioneer head must possess a deep operational understanding of the airspace system. After a rigorous selection process, Auyo became NAMA’s inaugural Managing Director.

Though he retired from public service two years into his tenure, ICAO immediately tapped Auyo’s expertise, recruiting him just a week after his departure from NAMA to oversee air navigation affairs across 24 African nations, including Nigeria.

According to the NAHF notification letters, the induction of both Umar and Auyo attests to their visionary leadership, professional excellence, and structural reforms in airspace management and flight safety across the nation.

The NAHF Board noted that the induction platform will serve as an avenue for industry advocacy, strategic partnerships, and professional mentorship. Both inductees’ contributions will be permanently archived in the NAHF Official Gallery and Commemorative Compendium.

The induction ceremony is slated for April 2027, with full event details and documentation guidelines to be released in due course. Congratulating the honorees, the Board and Management of the NAHF expressed their eagerness to celebrate the aviation veterans at the grand event.

Wole Shadare