Okonjo-Iweala arrives Nigeria for first working visit as WTO DG

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade
Organisation (WTO), on Saturday, arrived in Nigeria on a 4-day
official visit aimed at enhancing trade and improving the Nigerian
economy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okonjo-Iweala, who
assumed duty on March 1, 2021, as the new Director-General of the
WTO, is also in Nigeria to express appreciation to President
Muhammadu Buhari and hold talks on how to stimulate economic
activities.

Speaking to newsmen, on arrival, Okonjo-Iweala, said the
objective of her visit was to see how the WTO could better assist
Nigeria and her entrepreneurs on improving the economy.

On Nigeria’s share of trade in Africa, she expressed optimism
that Nigeria could use the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA) to boost trade and investment.

“And to do that we have to improve our investments and add value
to some of our products, because the AfCFTA is a unique opportunity
for us to be able to engage commercially with other African nations
to boost export.

“When you boost export, you create more jobs. We are also going
to talk about the digital economy and how young people are
accessing the internet for e-commerce, those are some of the issues
and more activities we can create to support that,” she said.

Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry,
Trade and Investment, noted that it was a unique moment and
opportunity to thank the world for supporting us to achieve this
feat of having a Nigerian as the head of the WTO.

“We have received a lot of support from many countries, we
appreciate them. Her visit is specifically to start from home to
say thank you to the President and Nigerians who supported her from
home and in the Diaspora.

“Tremendous support has gone into the process and we are
grateful that she emerged, after a very thoroughly contested
process as the D-G. It is a proud moment for Nigeria, for herself
and also for women in the world,” Sani-Gwarzo said.

According to the programme of the visit, on Monday, March 15,
she will be meeting with the President and the Chief of Staff to
the President at the presidential villa, and later hold a meeting
with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi
Adebayo, and Minister of state, Mariam Katagum at the ministry.

On Tuesday, March 16, Okonjo-Iweala will be meeting with the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, after
which she will meet the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, among
others.

She will proceed to a meeting with the Captains of Industry,
which will be followed by a Press Conference at Transcorp Hilton,
Abuja.

Furthermore, on Wednesday, March 17, the WTO D-G will hold a
meeting with the Women Entrepreneurs, SheTrade, and operators of
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), followed by a press
conference with some ministers.

A dinner and reception in honour of Okonjo-Iweala will hold at
Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, to round-off the visit.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade
Organisation (WTO), on Saturday, arrived in Nigeria on a 4-day
official visit aimed at enhancing trade and improving the Nigerian
economy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okonjo-Iweala, who
assumed duty on March 1, 2021, as the new Director-General of the
WTO, is also in Nigeria to express appreciation to President
Muhammadu Buhari and hold talks on how to stimulate economic
activities.

Speaking to newsmen, on arrival, Okonjo-Iweala, said the
objective of her visit was to see how the WTO could better assist
Nigeria and her entrepreneurs on improving the economy.

On Nigeria’s share of trade in Africa, she expressed optimism
that Nigeria could use the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA) to boost trade and investment.

“And to do that we have to improve our investments and add value
to some of our products, because the AfCFTA is a unique opportunity
for us to be able to engage commercially with other African nations
to boost export.

“When you boost export, you create more jobs. We are also going
to talk about the digital economy and how young people are
accessing the internet for e-commerce, those are some of the issues
and more activities we can create to support that,” she said.

Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry,
Trade and Investment, noted that it was a unique moment and
opportunity to thank the world for supporting us to achieve this
feat of having a Nigerian as the head of the WTO.

“We have received a lot of support from many countries, we
appreciate them. Her visit is specifically to start from home to
say thank you to the President and Nigerians who supported her from
home and in the Diaspora.

“Tremendous support has gone into the process and we are
grateful that she emerged, after a very thoroughly contested
process as the D-G. It is a proud moment for Nigeria, for herself
and also for women in the world,” Sani-Gwarzo said.

According to the programme of the visit, on Monday, March 15,
she will be meeting with the President and the Chief of Staff to
the President at the presidential villa, and later hold a meeting
with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi
Adebayo, and Minister of state, Mariam Katagum at the ministry.

On Tuesday, March 16, Okonjo-Iweala will be meeting with the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, after
which she will meet the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, among
others.

She will proceed to a meeting with the Captains of Industry,
which will be followed by a Press Conference at Transcorp Hilton,
Abuja.

Furthermore, on Wednesday, March 17, the WTO D-G will hold a
meeting with the Women Entrepreneurs, SheTrade, and operators of
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), followed by a press
conference with some ministers.

A dinner and reception in honour of Okonjo-Iweala will hold at
Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, to round-off the visit.