Buhari nominates Okonjo-Iweala for position of WTO DG

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Nigeria is again angling for a top global position with the nomination of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the position of Director General of World Trade Organisation by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Okonjo-Iweala, currently the chairman of the Board Gavi Alliance and member of Twitter Board is for Nigeria’s Minister of Finance.

In nominating her for the position of the DG of WTO, President ordered the withdrawal of  Yonov Frederick Agah, Nigeria’s permanent representative to WTO, for the position who was formerly nominated for the position, according to a Diplomatic Note no 146/2020 by Embassy of Nigeria and Permanent Mission to the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, to all embassies and permanent missions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Federal Government announced the withdrawal of Agah’s nomination and its replacement with that of Okonjo-Iweala.

The diplomatic note said the nomination of Okonjo-Iweala as Nigeria’s candidate for the position of WTO director general for the term 2021-2024.

Election into the office is due to hold in Geneva, Switzerland in 2021.

President Buhari is also asking for support of African countries to ensure that the nomination of Okonjo-Iweala sails through.