Okonjo Iweala Makes First Visit to Nigeria As WTO DG

The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has made her first visit to her father’s land, Nigeria, since she assumed office as the WTO DG.

On her arrival to the country, she was received by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.

The former Minister of Finance told newsmen in Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital that her visit to Nigeria was to show appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the support he accorded her.

She also gave a hint that discussion on how Nigeria can leverage her position to benefit from trans-national trade formed part of her visit to the country.

Okonjo-Iweala is a Senior Nigerian economist and the first woman to assume the WTO DG. She was appointed as a DG at a meeting of envoys from the 164 WTO member countries.

U.S. President, Joe Biden, has thrown his weight behind the appointment of the former Managing Director of the World Bank.

Okonjo-Iweala’s visit to Nigeria comes about a month after she was confirmed as the Director-General of the global trade organisation.

READ ALSO: Okonjo-Iweala, Role Model For African Women – Don

As the first woman and first African to lead the international body, her term began on March 1 and would last until the next four years.

The term, which is renewable, will expire on August 31, 2025.

Okonjo-Iweala, 66, was nominated as Nigeria’s candidate to lead the WTO by President Muhammadu Buhari in June 2020.

She is a Nigerian economist and international development expert who has a 25-year career at the World Bank, scaling the ranks to the second top position of Managing Director, Operations.

The Delta State-born economist served two terms as the minister of finance under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan respectively.