President Tinubu Congratulates Okonjo-Iweala On Reappointment As DG WTO

By Akinwale Kasali

A proud Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has congratulated Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her reappointment as the Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO.

Okonjo-Iweala made history as the first woman and first African to head the WTO.

She was reappointed on Friday for a second term, in the shadow of the return of Donald Trump to the White House as the President of the United States of America and his disdain for international trade rules.

The organisation’s 166 members “today agreed to give incumbent Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala a second term as Director-General,” the WTO said in a statement.

Her reappointment was approved by consensus during a special meeting of the organisation’s General Council, held behind closed doors, the WTO said.

Her current term ends in August 2025, and the appointment process for the next mandate had initially been scheduled to take months.

Congratulating and celebrating her reappointment, President Tinubu showered encomium on the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, on her unanimous re-election as the Director-General of the WTO.

The Nigerian leader noted with delight that Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s unanimous appointment for a second four-year term demonstrated the trust and confidence the international community placed in her leadership to advance multilateral trade for sustainable global development.

A statement by the Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, stated that President Tinubu is confident that her continued leadership will strengthen the international economic organisation’s role as a critical pillar of inclusive global economic growth and good governance in the next four years.

According to the statement, “As a committed member of the WTO, ECOWAS, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Nigeria will continue to support the WTO’s mission to foster a fair, inclusive, and equitable multilateral trading system.

“President Tinubu assures Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria’s steadfast support as she consolidates her bold reforms, dedication to equitable global trade practices, and tireless efforts to promote international cooperation.”