Young Nigerians Influenced My WTO DG Win – Okonjo Iweala

Ganiyat Ganiyu 

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Monday said encouragement from Nigerians on social media, especially the youths, contributed to her win as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO.

Okonjo-Iweala said this during a visit to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

She arrived Nigeria on a four-day official visit aimed at enhancing trade and improving the Nigerian economy.

The WTO DG was received by delegates led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.

She said, “I say it and I will not stop saying it – without all of you and without support from ordinary Nigerians, especially the young people who were always on social media all the time encouraging me, I wouldn’t have been able to make it because it was a very tough competition with eight of us at the start, over a period of six months – very grueling – so it needed a lot of encouragement.

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“It’s a proud thing that Nigeria has been able to make it. I am honoured and humbled to have been selected.”

She also appreciated the Minister for his role in contributing to her success in her race for the WTO DG seat.

“You worked night and day along with the Ministry of Trade and Investment and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. You worked personally to make sure that this happens,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

“I remember calling you so many nights with one complaint or the other or one demand or the other and you kept your cool and were always trying to sort it all out.”