The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Monday met with President Muhammadu Buhari.
She was led to the meeting with the President by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, in company with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, as well as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, was also among those who attended the meeting.
The Personal Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, also announced her arrival at the Presidential Villa in a tweet.
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala arrives the State House, Abuja to meet President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is her first visit to Nigeria since she assumed office two weeks ago.
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) March 15, 2021
Okonjo-Iweala, 66, was nominated as Nigeria’s candidate to lead the WTO by President Buhari in June 2020.
She emerged as the first woman and first African to lead the international body in February 2021, while her term began on March 1 and would last until the next four years.
The term, which is renewable, will expire on August 31, 2025.
Highpoints of the meeting are captured in the pictures below:
Previous Meetings
Before the meeting with President Buhari, Okonjo-Iweala had held separate discussions with the two ministers.
In her remarks, the WTO chief promised that the organisation would support Nigeria with capacity building and entrepreneurial products, especially at a time when the country has to diversify from oil.
She added that the organisation would work with other international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to help Nigeria solve its deficits which she said were affecting its infrastructure.
Okonjo-Iweala, who arrived in Nigeria on Saturday in her first visit to the country since she assumed office as the director-general of the global body, said she felt excited about her homecoming.
She stated that the WTO was also set to support job creation among youths and encourage women entrepreneurs.
According to the former Minister of Finance, the organisation is already negotiating several agreements on e-commerce.
Mr Adebayo also shared photos of the meeting with the WTO chief on Twitter.
This morning, I received the DG Of the @WTO, Our very own Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala ( @NOIweala )at @TradeInvestNG .We will be discussing the role of the WTO in Africa’s trade agenda. pic.twitter.com/t932nq9BsV
— Otunba Niyi Adebayo (@NiyiAdebayo_) March 15, 2021
