Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu was the fifth President of the ICAO Council. Having initially been elected to the position on 1 January 2014, he was re-elected by acclamation on 21 November 2016.

Among many notable accomplishments since taking office, he has been recognized most widely for his diplomatic determination and leadership in forging global consensus on the CORSIA MBM at ICAO’s 39th Assembly in 2016, and has helped to refocus ICAO on the assistance and capacity building aspects of its mandate since taking office in 2014, under the No Country Left Behind initiative.

President Aliu previously served as the Representative of Nigeria to ICAO, during which time he Chaired many of the Council’s major committees. More recently, he has been leading the Organization’s increased focus and prioritization on technological innovation and its critical importance to ensuring sustainable air transport progress in the years to come.

From January 2005 to December 2013, Dr. Aliu was the Representative of Nigeria on the ICAO Council. He served as the governing body’s First Vice-President and as Chairman of both its Technical Co-operation and Finance Committees. He also served as Chairman of the ICAO Council Working Group on Governance and Efficiency (WGGE) and as Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the ICAO Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Safety in Africa (AFI Plan).

Dr. Aliu graduated in 1983 with a MSc. Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Kiev Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers. He obtained a PhD in 1987. He holds an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s License with multiple ratings and is an ICAO certified SMS Instructor. He holds an IATA Diploma in Civil Aviation Management as well as a Graduate Certificate in Air and Space Law from McGill University, Canada.

Dr. Aliu’s extensive professional experience in civil aviation spans over 30 years. He has held various positions of increasing responsibility in the areas of safety oversight, economic regulation and negotiations of bilateral and multilateral agreements, including as Chief Airworthiness Surveyor, Director Air Transport Regulation and Technical Adviser to the Minister of Aviation. He played an active role in the formulation of the National Civil Aviation Policy leading to commercialization, liberalization and institution of competition and consumer protection programmes in the Nigerian air transport industry. He led the development of the African Civil Aviation Policy (AFCAP) under the auspices of the African Union Commission. Since 1998, he has participated in all sessions of the ICAO Assembly and has chaired numerous international meetings.