By Bola Bakare
In a significant step towards boosting Nigeria’s economic prospects, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Monday met with the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, at his office in Abuja to advance a shared agenda for trade-led growth, investment, and inclusive development.
During the meeting, Edun underscored Nigeria’s recent macroeconomic gains, citing a stronger naira, easing inflation, and ratings upgrades from Fitch and Moody’s as critical foundations for sustained growth. He highlighted government’s strategy anchored on export diversification, private-sector investment, and human capital development, with the ambitious goal of driving the economy to 7% GDP growth.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala lauded the reforms, describing them as steps capable of restoring investor confidence and unlocking new opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She urged Nigeria to accelerate job creation, expand exports, and prioritize energy security and social safety nets to ensure growth translates into better living standards.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to positioning Nigeria more firmly within global value chains and harnessing digital trade as a catalyst for competitiveness, resilience, and inclusive prosperity.
The high-level meeting, according to observers, represented a crucial milestone in aligning Nigeria’s economic reforms with global trade opportunities.
