Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former finance minister, has been confirmed as the sole candidate for a second term as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The WTO announced on Saturday that nominations for the role had closed, and Okonjo-Iweala is the only candidate remaining.
The General Council Chair, Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, confirmed that no additional nominations were received by the deadline of November 8.
Okonjo-Iweala had already expressed her willingness to serve another four years in a letter to the WTO’s Chair on September 16, and the organization formally initiated the appointment process on October 8.
Her current term is set to end in August 2025. Since taking office in February 2021, Okonjo-Iweala has made history as the first woman and the first African to head the WTO.
She has focused on advancing stalled trade negotiations, such as those related to fisheries subsidies, and revitalizing the WTO’s Appellate Body.
With a distinguished career in both finance and diplomacy, Okonjo-Iweala has served as Nigeria’s finance minister in two separate terms (2003-2006 and 2011-2015), and was briefly the country’s foreign minister in 2006.
She has gained widespread recognition for her leadership and economic expertise, despite not having held a position directly related to trade negotiations.
The WTO is expected to announce further details of the process in the coming days.
