A mild method for the copper-catalyzed amidation of aryl iodides is reported. This simple C-N bond forming procedure shows that the combination of air stable CuI and 1,10-phenanthroline in the presence of KF/Al2O3 comprises an extremely efficient and general catalyst system for the N-amidation of aryl iodides. Different functionalized aryl iodides were efficiently coupled with amides using this method.