Ngozi Okonjo Iweala
Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO), Former Minister of Finance, Nigeria
Non-Partisan Delta State
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Bio Summary
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a globally respected Nigerian economist who currently serves as Director-General of the WTO, the first woman and African to hold that role. A former two-time Finance Minister of Nigeria and long-serving World Bank executive, she is renowned for pioneering reforms in debt management, financial transparency, and economic governance. Since 2021, she has steered the WTO through complex trade, climate, and post-pandemic challenges—and was reappointed for a second term in 2024.
Education
- AB in Economics (magna cum laude), Harvard University (1976)
- MA & PhD in Regional Economics and Development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (PhD, 1981)
Professional Background
- World Bank: 25-year tenure culminating as Managing Director, Operations (2007–2011) (Wikipedia).
- Minister of Finance, Nigeria: two terms (2003–2006 under Obasanjo; 2011–2015 under Jonathan), also served briefly as Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Foreign Affairs Minister (June–August 2006) (Wikipedia).
- Initiated reforms including debt relief ($30 billion Paris Club), Excess Crude Account, TSA, IPPIS (eliminating ghost workers), GDP rebasing, and YouWIN & GWIN empowerment programs (Wikipedia).
- WTO Director-General since March 2021 — first woman and first African in that position; reappointed unanimously in November 2024 (The Guardian, Reuters, World Trade Organization).
- Held various global leadership roles: chaired Gavi, co-chaired the G20 High-Level Panel on Pandemic Financing, served on advisory boards
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