The first woman and the first African to hold the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has officially secured her re-election for a second term.
The 70-year-old announced her intention to seek re-election in September, and the General Council of the WTO confirmed her reappointment after the nomination deadline on November 8 passed with no competing candidates.
Her current term, which began in March 2021, is set to end in August 2025.
Below are thirteen things to know about Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala:
1. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a prominent Nigerian economist and international development expert.
2. She was born on June 13, 1954.
3. Okonjo-Iweala earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University.
4. She obtained a PhD in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
5. Okonjo-Iweala had a 25-year career at the World Bank, where she rose to the position of Managing Director of Operations.
6. She is the current Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
7. She became DG of WTO on Monday, March 1, 2021.
8. Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman and first African to lead the WTO in its 75-year history.
9. She served two terms as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015).
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10. Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman to serve as Nigeria’s Finance Minister.
11. She also chaired the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance from 2016 to 2020.
12. Okonjo-Iweala has been recognised as one of Forbes’ Top 100 Most Powerful Women several times.
13. On Friday, November 29, Okonjo-Iweala was re-elected for a second term as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).