Okonjo-Iweala: Tinubu Deserves Credit for Nigeria’s Economic Stability

The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has praised President Bola Tinubu for his role in stabilising Nigeria’s economy, describing his leadership as pivotal to the country’s economic progress.

Following a courtesy visit to the President at the State House, Okonjo-Iweala spoke with journalists, calling the meeting “very good” and commending Tinubu’s openness to collaboration—particularly on a major initiative focused on empowering Nigerian women and strengthening economic resilience.

She lauded the administration’s reform efforts, highlighting that economic stability is essential for any meaningful development.

“You can’t build a thriving economy without first achieving stability, and President Tinubu deserves recognition for bringing that to Nigeria,” she said.

During the meeting, Okonjo-Iweala briefed the President on a new women’s exporters fund for the digital economy. The fund, a joint project between the WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, is being implemented in Nigeria in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady.

Nigeria is one of just four countries globally chosen to pilot the initiative, which is aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs in overcoming economic hurdles, creating employment, and contributing to national growth.

Out of 67,000 Nigerian applicants, 146 women were selected to receive direct financial support to launch or expand their businesses. In addition to funding, recipients will benefit from up to 18 months of technical and business development assistance. The program is being delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Investment and the Nigeria Export Promotion Council to drive measurable growth and job creation.

Looking ahead, the WTO chief stressed that with economic stabilisation now underway, Nigeria must shift focus toward accelerating growth and building strong social protection systems.

She underscored the need to cushion the impact of ongoing reforms on vulnerable groups by promoting job creation, increasing incomes, and ensuring that economic gains are widely shared—issues that featured prominently in her dialogue with the President.