Nigeria’s richest person and Africa’s pride, Aliko Dangote, has joined other eminent Nigerians to congratulate Nigeria’s former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who emerged the director general of the World Trade Organisation on Monday.
With her emergence, Okonjo-Iweala breaks a 26-year record as the first African and first female boss of the global trade and dispute settlement organisation.
Describing her feat as “historic”, Dangote tweeted, “Congratulations to Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first African and female DG, WTO.
“We are proud of your historic emergence and confident in your ability to rebuild the World Trade Organisation and enhance global trade and economic development.”
Okonjo-Iweala will resume her position on March 1, and her term which is renewable will expire on August 31, 2025.
In a speech after her confirmation on Monday, the former World Bank director said her key priority would be to work with members to quickly address the economic and health consequences brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said, “I am honoured to have been selected by members as WTO director-general.
“A strong WTO is vital if we are to recover fully and rapidly from the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I look forward to working with members to shape and implement the policy responses we need to get the global economy going again.
“Our organisation faces a great many challenges but working together we can collectively make the WTO stronger, more agile and better adapted to the realities of today.”
