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Nigeria to implement WTO’s trade agreement  

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Nigeria has given the assurance that it would make efforts to implement the World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade facilitation agreement by 2025.  

Mr Niyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said in Abuja and explained that Nigeria was well-prepared to do this with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as policies and initiatives are being implemented by the central government.  

Mr Adebayo made this known at the Second Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference and Single Country Exhibition on Tuesday in Lagos. He further said the implementation of the AfCFTA would redefine trade relations within African states and beyond.  

He said it creates a single market for goods and services across the 54 countries of Africa with a collective population of 1.2 billion people and a market worth $3.4 trillion.  

“The Federal Government of Nigeria is well prepared for AfCFTA. A number of measures have been implemented through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.  

“It includes the Finance Act of 2020 which took effect on January 1, 2021,” Mr Adebayo said.  

He said the amendments to the Act provide additional incentives to encourage businesses and purposeful investments in the country.  

According to him, Nigeria is also one of the 14 African countries that have developed an online investment guide stylised iGuide Nigeria.  

Mr Adebayo said the iGuide Nigeria provides investors with up to date information regarding processes and procedures as well as the basic cost of setting up businesses in the country.  

He said the automation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had also accelerated the clearance of goods while the government was working on bringing the infrastructure gaps.  

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Africa should join WTO to take part in influencing decisions  

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China’s Zhang Xiangchen, who is the deputy director general of World Trade Organisation (WTO), has urged more African nations to join the organisation or risk missing the opportunity to influence global trade rules.

Zhang, who was appointed as a deputy to WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in May, said the share of African countries in global trade has declined over the years.

“It’s risky for developing countries to stay outside the stiff competition in reshaping international trade rules, therefore developing countries should actively engage in making new international trade rules to safeguard their interests,” said Zhang at the second China-Africa Economic Trade Expo in the central Chinese city of Changsha.

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The benefits that China has seen since joining the body in 2001 could serve as a “reference” for African countries, even though the multilateral trading system had “flaws”, he said via video link.

“Africa is the only continent that is not yet integrated into the global economy,” Zhang said. “Currently more than a dozen African countries in particular, some important economies, including Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan, are still not WTO members.

But he added it was “no surprise” that some African nations were hesitant to be part of “global trade liberalisation”, as the gains of globalisation have been unevenly distributed and integrating with the international trade system required substantial reform.

Calls have been growing across the board for reform of the WTO in recent years, including from China which is concerned about unilateral measures from some countries that circumnavigate international trade rules and the paralysis of the organisation’s Appellate Body, which arbitrates global trade disputes.

Before becoming deputy director general, Zhang served as China’s permanent representative to the WTO and previously as deputy permanent representative. His appointment in May highlighted China’s growing importance within the WTO, analysts said.

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Nigeria seeks WTO’s better deal for small scale fishers

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The Federal Government has called for the exemption of small scale and artisanal fishers from the scope of fisheries subsidies discipline under negotiation at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by member nations.
Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, made the call in his submission at a virtual meeting of WTO Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) at the Ministerial Level on Fisheries Subsidies on Thursday.
Adebayo affirmed Nigeria’s commitment and support to the agreement to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that had resulted in rapid depletion of global marine fish stocks.
“I assure you of Nigeria’s support to proactively engage with all members toward achieving a balanced outcome in line with our mandate to conclude an agreement to prohibit fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing.’’
He promised that such engagement would eliminate subsidies that contribute to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and refrain from introducing new such subsidies.
He said it would ensure recognition “that appropriate treatment for developing countries and least developed countries should be an integral part of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiation”.
Adebayo also said Nigeria would be happy to negotiate on appropriate special and differential treatment provisions for developing countries and least developed countries.
He stressed that the sustainable development of the fisheries sector would be a viable route to member states socioeconomic development given the sector contribution to food and livelihood security improvement.
However, he noted that illegal fishing, overfishing and overcapacity, as well as other unsustainable fishing and fishing related activities incentivised by heavy subsidisation posed threat to ongoing efforts toward sustainable development of the sector.
“These unsustainable practices have resulted in rapid depletion of global marine fish stocks.
“After 20 years of negotiations, it is time for us to draw the curtain on the Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations.
“Nigeria would continue to support WTO D-G and show requisite flexibilities so we can collectively achieve balanced outcomes consistent with SDG 14.6 and our mandate,” he said.
The Minister expressed hope that the progress made so far, as contained in the revised Draft Consolidated Text of June 30, provided a good basis for a successful conclusion.
He said in view of the technicalities involved in the negotiations, as well as the urgency to expeditiously make progress, Nigeria’s participation would involve engagement by senior officials from the ministry and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The meeting was attended by WTO’s Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Negotiating Group on Rules, Amb. Santiago Wills of Colombia, 164 Trade Ministers of WTO members, ambassadors, including Nigeria’s ambassador to WTO, Dr Adamu Abdulahmid.

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Abdulahmid now new Envoy to WTO

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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr Adamu Abdulahmid as the new Nigeria’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Geneva, Switzerland, for a period of four years.
The appointment is contained in a letter to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, from the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
Adebayo, in a statement by Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, ministry’s Permanent Secretary on Wednesday charged the new Ambassador to cooperate with Director-General of WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and members of international organisations to enhance Nigeria’s trade.
Until his appointment, Abdulahmid was the Acting Head/Charge d’ Affaires of Nigeria Trade Office to the WTO, Geneva, Switzerland.
He is a holder of Msc. Economics and International Development, Masters in Business Management and Leadership, Doctorate of International Relations and Economic Diplomacy.
He has acquired 28 years of working experience on World Trade matters and Trade Negotiations.

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Nigeria expects equitable outcomes on WTO’s fisheries negotiations

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The government of Nigeria says it will continue to engage in fisheries subsidies negotiations, in order to achieve balanced and equitable outcomes from the forthcoming WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC-12) on fisheries subsidies.

Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said this at a virtual meeting of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Ministers of Trade on Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations.

The 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) will be convened by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland.

The WTO’s Ministerial Conference, which is held every two years, is the highest decision-making body of the WTO and attended by trade ministers and other senior officials from the organisation’s 164 members.

The minister noted that the sustainable development of the fisheries sector was central to Nigeria’s quest for economic diversification and sustained growth.

According to the minister, it is of critical fundamental importance that the outcomes of the MC-12 are consistent with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.6 and our mandate.

SDG 14.6 targets to prohibit certain forms of fisheries’ subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, as well as eliminate subsidies which contribute to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

He said that given that sustainable development of the sector was a viable route to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development, it expected MC-12 outcomes on fisheries subsidies to result in substantial reduction of overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices.

Adebayo thanked Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the Chair of the Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations, Amb. Santiago Wills of Colombia, for their efforts at advancing the negotiations.

He recalled that the contribution of the fisheries sector to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 0.84 per cent and 1.09 per cent in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

“Nigeria, which produces less than a million-metric tonne of fish annually is a net importer of fish. Marine catches contribute about 38 per cent of our annual output. The rest is made up of inland waters catches and aquaculture.

“Over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s total domestic production is generated by artisanal small-scale fishermen that support the livelihoods of over 24 million Nigerians. 73 per cent of those involved in fisheries in Nigeria are women,” he noted.

He explained that the country, with a continental coastline of 853km and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) area of 179,839 sq. kms, contained diverse species of fish, contributing to food and livelihood security of Nigerians.

However, he noted that illegal fishing, overfishing and other unsustainable fishing related activities, incentivised by heavy subsidies posed a major threat to sustainable development of Nigeria’s fisheries sector.

He advised that the outcomes should also reflect the “mutual supportiveness of trade and environment” by addressing simultaneously the three pillars of sustainable development as envisaged in the Hong Kong and Doha Ministerial Declarations.

Adebayo further noted that such outcomes should contain effective Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) that allow for sustainable development of the fisheries sector of developing countries.

The minister described S&DT as an integral part of the sustainability agenda of the WTO, adding that it was also crucial to achieving an acceptable balance of rights and obligations among WTO members.

“I am of the view that these S&DT provisions would not only undermine our rights to sustainable exploitation of marine resources in our EEZ, guaranteed by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, but would also undermine efforts to address our food and livelihood security difficulties.

“Nigeria expects carve-out for developing countries under all pillars in respect of fishing and fishing related activities of low income, resource-poor fishermen within their EEZ, with no preconditions.

“As well as exemptions of developing countries, with less than two per cent share of annual global marine capture, from some obligations of the disciplines,” he said.

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WTO gets four Deputy Directors-General

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The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has appointed four Deputy Directors-General to assist Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General.

The appointees are Angela Ellard of the United States, Anabel González of Costa Rica, Ambassador Jean-Marie Paugam of France and Ambassador Xiangchen Zhang of China.

In a statement posted on the WTO’s website, the former Nigeria finance minister reiterated her commitment to strengthening the global trade body.

“I am very pleased to announce the appointment of four new Deputy Directors-General at the WTO. It is the first time in the history of our Organization that half of the DDGs are women.

“This underscores my commitment to strengthening our Organization with talented leaders whilst at the same time achieving gender balance in senior positions. I look forward to welcoming them to the WTO,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

Ellard (United States) has a distinguished career of service working at the US Congress as Majority and Minority Chief Trade Counsel and Staff Director. She is internationally recognised as an expert on trade and international economic policy, negotiating trade agreements and supporting multilateral solutions as part of an effective trade and development policy.

Ellard has negotiated and delivered significant bipartisan trade policy outcomes and legislation for well over 25 years with Members of US Congress and senior Trump, Obama, Bush, and Clinton Administration officials.

Also, Ellard worked as a lawyer in the private sector, working on trade litigation and strategy, policy and legislative issues. She obtained her Juris Doctor, cum laude from Tulane University School of Law and her Master of Arts in Public Policy also from Tulane. She is a frequent lecturer at law, graduate, and undergraduate classes and has published articles on trade law and policy.

For González (Costa Rica), she is a renowned global expert on trade, investment and economic development with a proven managerial track record in international organizations and the public sector.

In government, Gonzalez served as Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica; as Director-General for International Trade Negotiations; as Director-General of the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE); and as Special Ambassador and Chief negotiator of the US-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement.

She also served at the World Bank as a Senior Director, the WTO as Director of the Agriculture and Commodities Division and as Senior Consultant with the Inter-American Development Bank.

More recently, Gonzalez has worked as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Peterson Institute for International Economics. She obtained her master’s degree from Georgetown University Law Center with the highest academic distinction and has published extensively on economic issues and trade.

On his part, Paugam (France) has held senior management positions in the French Government on trade, most recently as Permanent Representative of France to the WTO.

He has also held a number of senior positions in the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, including as a member of the Executive Committee of the French Treasury.

Also, Xiangchen Zhang (China) is currently serving as Vice Minister in the Ministry of Commerce of China.

He has long and extensive experience on WTO issues, international negotiations, and policy research.

Ambassador Zhang served until recently as China’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and previously as Deputy Permanent Representative.

Original story is in ThisDay

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AfCFTA, WTO will cause dip in Nigeria’s revenue collection – NCS

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The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hamid Ali (rtd) has said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) free trade treaty may affect revenue collection of the service in the year.

Ali reported at hearing of the Customs 2021 budget defence before the House Committee on Customs and Excise, said the two agreements tended towards zero duty for goods imported from member countries who are signatories to the two agreements.

The budget defence of the Service was cut short on March 4, 2021, following the news of the sudden death of the former Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Yuguda Kila.

Ali was reacting to the statement by the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Leke Abejide that the Committee was increasing Customs’ revenue target from N1.4 trillion to N1.6 trillion, the same target given Customs last year before the outbreak of COVID-19.

The Customs chief said the take-off of the AfCFTA and the WTO treaties of free, which took off on January 1, 2021, would, no doubt, affect revenue collection of the service as the two agreements are tailored towards zero duty on goods imported from member countries.

He, therefore, warned the National Assembly against increasing the revenue target given to the service from N1.4 trillion to N1.6 trillion, stressing that if the Service is able to surpass the target, it would, definitely, reflect on its collection for the year.

He said: “On the issue of increasing the 2021 budget from N1.4 trillion to N1.6 trillion, let me say that the target set by the Federal Government is based on some parameters and not based on actual computation.”

“The budget committee sits down and take a look at it and do a projection and with our own officers, we sit down and look at what is feasible that can be generated.’’

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Okonjo-Iweala and Nigerian ministers

Okonjo-Iweala wades into EU, Nigeria tiff over ban on diary products

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Tanko Mohammed

The European Union’s (EU) petition over Nigeria’s ban of release of foreign exchange for milk importation is a critical challenge facing Nigerian-born new Director General of to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngoji Okonjo-Iweala, currently on official tour of her West African nation.

EU has put its complaint in writing to WTO alleging that Nigeria’s action what whatever reasons distorted the balance of payment protocol, but the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) told WTO that action was meant to protect local industries from unfavourable competition and to create jobs.

66-year-old Okonjo-Iweala said in Abuja on March 16, 2021 at a meeting with the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, that WTO was in receipt of the petition from EU.

Okonjo-Iweala, two times former Nigeria’s finance minister, said WTO had remedies which could be explored without the ban and at the same time protect local industries against dumping and cheap imports.

She said explained that she understood that Nigeria was trying to establish a trade remedies authority which would be supported to help industries to grow.

“We have complaint against us from the EU about the violation of the Balance of Payment to trying to protect the diary industry and they feel that this is not the right instrument.

“As DG WTO, I have to make this known but this is an issue, which you said, you will like to engage in a little more detail so we can discuss  later about it. 

“I want to say that I think that we have what it takes in this country, particularly in our young people to do the necessary, which is to look forward as to how we are going to create jobs and move this economy in the direction that will support our youth in the future,’’ she said.

EU, she said, felt that it was not the right instrument, “so as DG WTO, I have to make this known. But this is an issue which you said you’d like to engage on in a little more details so we can discuss that later and how to go about it’’.

Nigeria in 2020 discontinued official foreign exchange for importation of milk and 40 other products and called on offshore milk production companies to set up factories in Nigeria to create jobs and reduce the pressure on the country’s foreign reserves.

Emefiele said CBN took the protectionism path to protect local industries and strengthen export.

But the move seemed not to have gone down well with EU, a major producer of diary products, which wrote a protest letter to the WTO as a way of making Nigeria to rescind the decision.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele on March 16, 2021 defended Nigeria’s position on restrictive trade policy, further explaining that Nigeria with high unemployment rate of over 33 percent, has create job opportunities and provide an enabling environment for the unemployed to live a gainful life.

He said that Nigeria remains open to business from any part of the world and further explained that the policy to restrict foreign exchange to dairy companies was because the firms refused to align with its backward integration programme, to the need to protect the national interest.

The policy on dairy products was unanimously taken by six major industry players and was not unilaterally taken by the apex bank.

“Two years ago, we restated, we said listen, we are going to start a programme where we are going to place foreign exchange restrictions on those who want to import dairy into Nigeria. Six of them came on board- Friesland and a few of them.’’

 He said that Nigeria needed to give a chance to its local industries and to create jobs and employment.

“The unemployment rate in Nigeria, I dare say, is very high. Our youthful population of people of the age of about 18 to 40 is almost close to about 60 percent of the population. You can use that to your advantage and you could also use that to your detriment.

“The fact that we need to create jobs for this set of people, we need to create an enabling environment for this set of people to live a gainful life, means that we have a responsibility to do so and in doing so, we will need the support of institutions like yourself (WTO) to work with us.”

He explained that CBN may have taken some unpopular decisions in its intervention role but these could be rectified by working closely with the WTO.

“We may have faltered in a few areas, I am not going to deny that, we will be willing to engage with you (WTO) in areas where we have concerns. And if those concerns are addressed, I want to assure you madam DG that we will work with you.’’

He said that one of the companies that took the decision, Friesland Campina, has been importing milk into Nigeria for over 60 years and nothing was done by this company to backward integrate and begin to produce dairy in Nigeria.

“Does that mean Nigeria does not have the potential? The answer is no. So that’s why we in the monetary and fiscal authority must put everybody’s feet on fire so that the right things are done for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians.”

The government, he said, was serious about opening up the country to aid its economic diversification from oil to non-oil areas.

“We have those endowments, it is just that we have to work at it but we need the help of multilateral institutions like yourself to work with us. Luckily, you are there from Nigeria.

“Of course, the transition of the Nigerian economy from oil to non-oil, whether we like it or not, we don’t have a choice.

“It’s important that Nigeria really needs to sit up and talk about how to improve its transportation infrastructure, energy infrastructure so that we begin to talk about how do we effectively move goods or food from farm to market in a way and then from the market, not only for domestic consumption but also for export.”

He said while the country would be engaging with the WTO team to resolve inherent issues, “we need to think of how can we open up Nigeria? We need your help in these areas.”

 “And they feel that this is not the right instrument. So as DG WTO, I have to make this known. But this is an issue which you said you’d like to engage on in a little more details so we can discuss that later and how to go about it.

“I want to say that the WTO has what we call trade remedies, which can help us without banning things to be able to protect our industries against dumping and cheap imports if we use those remedies.

“I understand Nigeria is trying to establish a trade remedies authority and I want to strongly support that so we can use those remedies as a tool to help our industries to grow.”

Okonjo-Iweala and Nigerian ministers

WTO to give Nigeria technical assistance, quality upgrade

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Tanko Mohammed

The World Trade Organisation (WTO), says it will work to deliver directly technical assistance, training and quality upgrade to unlock some bottlenecks confronting Nigeria.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of WTO  stated this on Monday in Abuja when she paid courtesy visit to Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and Minister of State, Amb. Mariam Katagum.

She described WTO as an economic institution which could work with other financial institutions to support investments and technical assistance to mitigate Nigeria’s economic challenges.

She said the WTO was created with World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), adding that these three institutions, by working together, could deliver a lot.

Okonjo-Iweala also noted that Nigeria’s share in world trade was 0.33 per cent which showed a small fraction of what Nigeria could do.

“Our share in Africa’s trade is 19 per cent, which is below our share of Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This means we can turn it around.

“I like to look at the optimistic side, when I saw this I knew that there was potential for us to do much. And that is the message I want to convey to the country.

“This means that we must step up our action on the economy, we must do better and harder in several ways because of our youth who are waiting for jobs.

“Nigeria needs to focus on adding value on transitioning. We are an oil and gas-based economy; and that has sustained us and still will. But the world is moving away from fossil fuel,” she said.

Okonjo-Iweala said trade negotiations on agricultural issues were very important for Nigeria adding that the country was active in agriculture and also in the Joint Statement Initiatives, ongoing prolateral negotiations.

According to her, Nigeria is equally involved in E-commerce, services domestic regulations, investment facilitation, micro small and medium enterprises and women in trade.

Okonjo-Iweala, while stating that Nigeria was 103 out of 167 countries in logistics, advised that it was a potential area Nigeria could invest in to improve its logistics.

She said the country can take advantage of trade within the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The WTO D-G also noted that WTO was being faced with many challenges and also needs its own reforms to deliver results.

She added that the organisation has not delivered a multilateral round of negotiations in quite a number of years and has the unique opportunity of delivering the fishery subsidy negotiations.

Okonjo-Iweala explained that supporting and finishing the fishery subsidy negotiations was important for the sustainability of our oceans.

Speaking on COVID-19, Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO  must contribute more to the solutions of vaccines therapeutics and diagnostics, especially to the poor countries.

On its dispute settlement system that was paralysed, she said it had to discuss with all members including the U.S. on how to make it work again.

She said this was because the rules-based organisation could not continue to make rules if the dispute settlement system did not work.

“Our vision for the WTO is to face these challenges. I hope that Nigeria will take a very active supportive role in helping me to deliver on some of the messages,” she added.

Earlier, Adebayo intimated Okonjo-Iweala on some of Ministry’s expectations regarding its engagement in ongoing negotiations as it prepared for the WTO Ministerial Conference, scheduled to hold in Geneva in December 2021.

On the ongoing agriculture negotiations, Adebayo said Nigeria was expecting balanced and equitable outcomes that would address the structural causes of insecurity in Net Food Importing Developing Countries (NFIDCs) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

On the fisheries subsidies negotiations, the minister noted that the ministry looked forward to outcomes that would result in reduction of overfishing and unsustainable development of the fishing sector of developing countries.

“I also wish to draw your attention to our capacity difficulties which continue to undermine our effective participation in the multilateral trading system.

“While we acknowledge with thanks the capacity-building efforts of WTO around training officers on international trade governance, the need for more targeted technical assistance from the WTO cannot be overemphasised,” he said.

Adebayo appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for according priority for Nigeria’s participation in the D-G WTO selection process and authorising the deployment of political, diplomatic and other resources.

He said this was to ensure Okonjo-Iweala’s emergence from the three rounds of consultation as the candidate with the largest support of members to lead the WTO and your subsequent confirmation as D-G by WTO.

Similarly, Katagum urged the D-G WTO not to forget the commitment to sustain and enhance the ongoing dialogue and action on ‘women in trade’, as a firm believer in the power of trade to lift developing countries, including Nigeria out of poverty.

Buhari receives Okonjo Iweala

WTO boss, Okonjo-Iweala meets President Buhari

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Tanko Mohammed

President Muhammadu Buhari has hosted Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, newly appointed Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), telling her “you also earned it’’ despite the robust support Nigeria gave to her candidacy for the position.

“We are happy you made it, but you earned it with your record of performance both at home and abroad,” President Buhari on March 15, 2021 told the Director General who is on a working visit to Nigeria.

The President said Dr Okonjo-Iweala was putting Nigeria more on the world map, “and I congratulate you, as well as the country. I know you will represent us so well.”

President Buhari lauded Nigerian women once again, pointing to key positions they hold like Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and many others. He said the same way, government would encourage the youths, “so that they can be ready for the challenges of the future.”

The new WTO DG thanked President Buhari for the pulsating support she received from her own country in the race for the position.

“You nominated me, you wrote hundreds of letters, called up hundreds of world leaders. Without your personal and direct intervention, it may not have worked. The people of Nigeria also supported me massively. The youths were wonderful, always encouraging, backing me up on social media.

“Mr President, the world recognizes what you have done. Since its establishment, only men have led the WTO. Now, a woman has emerged for the first time, and she’s a Nigerian. We are so honoured,” Dr Okonjo-Iweala said.

She apprised the President of the opportunities for Nigeria in the global organization, as well as the challenges, stressing that “WTO will do more to help Nigeria, but we need to add value to our products in order to trade more. We should exploit all the opportunities in front of us.” 

She added that the support and leadership of President Buhari will help her a lot in her position as DG.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala assumed office on March 1, 2021 as the first female DG of the World Trade Organization.

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