Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been appointed the director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Breaking two major records, Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman and first African to take the role of the 164-member Switzerland-based organization.
This success did not come overnight as the Nigerian economist had been on the contending list for months, garnering majority votes excluding the United States.
Confirming Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment, WTO tweeted: “Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from Nigeria is appointed as the next WTO Director-General. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala makes history as the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO. Her term starts on the 1st of March 2021.”
The 66-year-old former minister succeeds Brazilian Roberto Azevedo who stepped down from the position in August of 2020. Okonjo-Iweala and her team will resume on March 1, 2021.

