Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
GCON
Okonjo-Iweala in 2021
7th Director-General of the World Trade Organization
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 March 2021
Preceded byRoberto Azevêdo
Minister of Finance
In office
17 August 2011 – 29 May 2015
PresidentGoodluck Jonathan
Preceded byOlusegun Olutoyin Aganga
Succeeded byKemi Adeosun
In office
15 July 2003 – 21 June 2006
PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo
Preceded byAdamu Ciroma
Succeeded byNenadi Usman
Coordinating Minister for the Economy
In office
17 August 2011 – 29 May 2015
PresidentGoodluck Jonathan
Preceded byOlusegun Olutoyin Aganga
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
21 June 2006 – 30 August 2006
PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo
Preceded byOluyemi Adeniji
Succeeded byJoy Ogwu
Personal details
Born (1954-06-13) 13 June 1954 (age 70)
Ogwashi Ukwu, Nigeria
CitizenshipNigeria (1954–present)
United States (2019–present)[1]
SpouseIkemba Iweala
Children4, including Uzodinma
EducationHarvard University (BA)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA, PhD)

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala GCON (/əŋˈɡoʊzi əˈkoʊndʒoʊ ɪˈweɪlə/ ⓘ; born 13 June 1954[2]) is a Nigerian economist,[3][4][5][6] who has been serving as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization since March 2021. She is the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization as Director-General.[7][8][9]

She was previously on the boards of Danone, Standard Chartered Bank, MINDS: Mandela Institute for Development Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, One Campaign, GAVI: Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, Rockefeller Foundation, R4D: Results for Development, ARC: African Risk Capacity and Earthshot Prize plus others.[10][11][12][13][14] She also previously sat on the Twitter Board of Directors, and stepped down in February 2021 in connection with her appointment as Director-General of the World Trade Organization.[15]

Okonjo-Iweala serves Brookings Institution as a non-resident distinguished fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative in their Global Economy and Development Program.[16][17] She is a Commissioner Emeritus and Co-Chair of Global Commission on the Economy and Climate.[18] At The World Bank, she had a 25-year career as a development economist; rising to become Managing Director for Operations from 2007 to 2011. Okonjo-Iweala was the first Nigerian woman to serve two terms as Finance Minister of Nigeria; initially, under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003 to 2006; and secondly, under President Goodluck Jonathan from 2011 to 2015. Subsequently, from June to August 2006, she served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria. In 2005, Euromoney named her Global Finance Minister of the Year.[19][20][21]

  1. ^ Overly, Steven. "U.S. backs Okonjo-Iweala, first woman and African, to head WTO". Politico. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala makes history at WTO". BBC News. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala". Center For Global Development. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  4. ^ "DG Okonjo-Iweala Hits the Ground Running". WTO: World Trade Organization. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – The Rockefeller Foundation". The Rockefeller Foundation. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Russia-Ukraine War: My fears for Nigeria, other African countries — Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala". Vanguard News. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  7. ^ "History Made as Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Picked to Head the WTO". Africa Renewal: United Nations Magazine. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Makes History at the WTO". BBC News. March 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  9. ^ "WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Discusses Vaccines". The World: Public Radio. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Prince William and Earthshot Prize Council Members Sign Letter Encouraging Everyone to Give the Earth a Shot". MSN. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Earthshot Prize Council: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala". Earthshot Prize. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Profile: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala". Bloomberg. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Results for Development". Results for Development. R4D: Results for Development. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  14. ^ "ARC Agency Governing Board – African Risk Capacity". Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  15. ^ MarketScreener (19 February 2021). "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to Step Down as Member of Board of Directors of Twitter, Inc., Effective February 28, 2021 | MarketScreener". www.marketscreener.com. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Non-resident Distinguished Fellow – Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative". Brookings Institution. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  17. ^ Abiodun Sanusi (13 March 2022). "Nigerian women, global leaders". Punch.
  18. ^ "Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Co-Chair: Former Finance Minister of Nigeria". New Climate Economy: Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Euromoney Finance Minister of the Year 2005: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Nigeria". Euromoney Magazine. 31 August 2005. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  20. ^ Tribune, Emea. "Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Becomes First Female, African To Head The World Trade Organisation". Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  21. ^ Oluwole, Victor (7 March 2022). "6 leadership lessons from WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 3 April 2022.