By Mazi Odera Orazulike
Ngozi Okonjo Iweala (born 13 June, 1954), is a Nigerian American economist and international development expert. She was recently appointed the next director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Ngozi Oknjo Iweala was born in Ogwashi-Ukwu Delta state, Nigeria to professor Chukwuma Okonjo who is from home the Obahai royal family. She went to Queen’s School, Enugu, St Ann’s School, Molete, Ibadan.
She arrived the US in 1973 for her degree in Economics in Harvard University where she graduated with with first class honors. She obtained her PhD in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with her thesis titled “CREDIT POLICY, RURAL FINANCIAL MARKETS, AND NIGERIA’S AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT”
She enjoyed a 25 years career at the World Bank in Washington DC, where she rose to the number 2 position of managing director and oversaw development programs in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia. She was also behind the world bank initiatives to assist low income countries during the 2008/09 food crises
She served as two times Nigeria’s Finance minister under Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. She led the negotiations with Paris club to cancel Nigeria’s US $30 billion debt. She introduced the practice of publishing each state’s monthly financial allocation which increased transparency in governance.
With the help of the world bank and the IMF, she helped to build an electronic financial management platform- the Government Integrated Financial Managemen and Information System (GIFMIS) like the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS) which helped to curtail corruption.
She also enjoyed high ranking positions internationally, she was a member of the International Commission on Global Education Opportunity (2015-16), a cochairman in the Global Commission for the Economy and Climate and many others. She founded the Centre for the Study of Economies in Africa (C-SEA).
In June, 2020, she was appointed as the country’s candidate for the WTO director-general by President Buhari. She later advanced to the final stage, competing with Yoo Myung-hee. She received backing from the European Union though she was not endorsed by the US government.
On 5 February, 2021, Yoo Myung-hee announced her withdrawal following dialogues with the new US government and thus, Ngozi Iweala was unanimously endorsed as the new director-general of the WTO.
She was announced as the next WTO head on 15 February and thus became the first woman and African to occupy the office. Her tenure will start on 1 March, 2021.
Written by Mazi Odera Orazulike (Department of History and Culture, Opinions From Africa)
Mazi Odera Orazulike is a philosopher, writer, historian and researcher on Igbo History and Culture.
