Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Urges Nigerians to Unite for Enduring Prosperity

The Director General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on Nigerians to put aside their differences and work towards a common goal of achieving lasting prosperity. Speaking at the public presentation of a book titled 'The Pain and the Promise: Insights and Fragments on Nigeria and People, Public and Personal (1990–2026)' by Paul C. Nwabuikwu, Okonjo-Iweala stressed that Nigeria's ability to convert decades of recurring disappointments into enduring prosperity would ultimately depend on forging a national consensus that rises above ethnic, religious and regional divisions. She expressed confidence in the country's abundant talent and resilience, citing her experience leading Nigeria's landmark economic reform programme in the mid-2000s. Okonjo-Iweala described the book as a 'portrait of a generation' and recommended it to everyone, especially younger Nigerians seeking to understand the country's complex history. She reflected on her years leading Nigeria's economic reform programme, recalling how she recruited Nwabuikwu into the Federal Ministry of Finance to help communicate difficult reforms to the public. Okonjo-Iweala emphasized that policy reforms could not succeed merely through legislation and technical design but depended on winning public understanding and trust.