Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
WTO reappoints Okonjo-Iweala for another term as DG, says she’s honoured
Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala has been given another term as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Indeed, Okonjo-Iweala was first elected as the WTO DG on February 15, 2021, thus her first ends on 31 August 2025.
Okonjo-Iweala, who was Nigeria’s former Finaance Minister, is the first woman and the first African to head the WTO.
All indices for Okonjo-Iweala indicated that a second term in office as WTO DG was assured.
Consequently, the 166 members if the organisation met “today agreed to give incumbent Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala a second term as director-general.”
A statement by WTO said Okonjo-Iweala’s reappointment was approved by consensus during a special meeting of the organisation’s General Council, held behind closed doors.
Her current term ends in August 2025, and the appointment process for the next mandate had initially been scheduled to take months.
But with Okonjo-Iweala the only candidate, African countries called for the process to be speeded up, officially to facilitate preparations for the WTO’s next big ministerial conference, set to be held in Cameroon in 2026.
In office, Okonjo-Iweala has tried to breathe new life into the fragile organisation, pushing for a fresh focus on areas like climate change and health.
In her reaction, Okonjo-Iweala said she was “honoured” and counted the move as a “privilege”.
Okonjo-Iweala, who wrote on WTO’s website, stated, “I am deeply honoured by the trust and support of the WTO General Council and its 166 Members. It is a privilege to continue serving as Director-General for a second four-year term.
“As we look ahead, I remain firmly committed to delivering results that matter—results that ultimately improve the lives of people around the world. By promoting trade as a driver of economic growth and resilience, the WTO will continue to provide a collaborative platform for Members to address shared global challenges,” the former Nigerian finance minister said.
“I am deeply committed to working alongside the talented and dedicated staff of the WTO to build a more inclusive, equitable, and rules-based multilateral trading system that benefits all.”
Okonjo-Iweala twice served as Nigeria’s finance minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and also as first female foreign minister in 2006.