Ouma Laouali is a Nigerien pilot, and the first woman to serve as a pilot in the country.

In October 2015, Lieutenant Laouali, aged 28, became the first woman pilot in Niger.^[1][2][3][4]

Laouali was one of a coterie of members of the Nigerien airforce to be trained as pilots in the United States, as part of a programme to help in fighting Boko Haram, the Islamist terrorist group active in the region.^[1][2] She will be flying a Cessna airplane, two of which were given to Niger by the US in a ceremony in Niger's capital Niamey, as part of the US$24 million package of training and aircraft.^[2] As of October 2015, the US has a drone base in Niamey, and is reported to be building another in Agadez a town in the Nigerien desert, as part of its counter-terrorism activities.^[4]

Laouali will be flying the Cessna 208 Caravan, an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, which can perform a variety of military tasks.^[2]

According to Ventures Africa, "female pilots challenge sexist views that men are better suited as pilots."^[1] True Africa included Laouali in their list of "The African women who rocked it in 2015".^[5]