Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian economist, currently serves as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). She assumed office in March 2021, making history as both the first woman and the first African to lead the organization. She navigates complex multilateral negotiations concerning international commerce.

Before joining the WTO, she served two terms as Nigeria's Minister of Finance, where she famously negotiated the cancellation of roughly $18 billion of Nigeria's external debt. She also implemented crucial economic reforms and worked to increase transparency in the country's oil revenue. Her work helped stabilize one of Africa's largest economies.

Yes, she spent a 25-year career at the World Bank, eventually rising to the position of Managing Director of Operations. In that capacity, she oversaw a massive operational portfolio worth billions of dollars across various regions. She narrowly lost a bid to become the President of the World Bank in 2012.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and later obtained a Ph.D. in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her rigorous economic background has heavily informed her approach to navigating complex global trade negotiations. She has also received numerous honorary degrees from universities worldwide.