The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has hailed the re-election of the Director of Special Duties at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Ahmad Abba, as the Executive Vice President for Africa and the Middle East Region of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations (IFATCA).
Abba’s re-election, for a second term from 2025 to 2027, was confirmed during the 35th IFATCA Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting held in Cairo, Egypt, from October 21 to 23, 2024. Keyamo was in attendance to witness the prestigious event.
In his statement, Keyamo described Abba’s re-election as a source of pride for Nigeria’s aviation sector, particularly for NAMA. He emphasized that this development aligns with the current administration’s vision of strengthening the country’s aviation manpower and reaffirmed his commitment to seeing more Nigerians take on leadership roles in global aviation organizations.
“This is a clear sign that our efforts to develop the human capital in the aviation sector are yielding results,” Keyamo said. “Abba’s re-election shows that Nigeria is gaining more influence on the international stage as we work towards elevating the country’s aviation industry to new heights. My goal is to see our skilled professionals not only thrive locally but also make impactful contributions on the global scene.”
The Minister congratulated both Abba and NAMA for this achievement and urged Abba to continue excelling in his role. He also encouraged more Nigerians in the aviation sector to aim for leadership positions in international organizations, noting that the experience gained from such roles would ultimately benefit the country’s aviation industry.
Abba was first elected as IFATCA Executive Vice President for Africa and the Middle East in April 2024, during the 63rd IFATCA Annual Conference in Singapore. Following his re-election, he expressed gratitude and promised to continue representing Nigeria positively on the international stage.
Abba also vowed to leverage his role to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
