Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has announced her intention to seek a second four-year term as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
This was revealed on Monday, September 16, 2024, by WTO spokesperson Ismaila Dieng.
“We can confirm that Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has officially announced her intention to seek a second term as Director-General of the WTO,” Dieng said in a statement.
Okonjo-Iweala, who is the first woman and first African to head the WTO, will seek a second four-year term when her mandate expires in August 2025.
Her decision to seek another term was officially communicated to WTO Chair and Norwegian Ambassador Petter Olberg on Monday.
According to Dieng, Okonjo-Iweala had taken into account the overwhelming and broad-based support expressed by members.
The WTO’s African Group formally requested that she make herself available for a second term at that same meeting and proposed that the process to re-nominate her should begin as soon as possible.
It is gathered that so far no other candidates have come forward.
Okonjo-Iweala, who took over in March 2021 as WTO DG, was the first Nigerian woman to serve two terms as Finance Minister of Nigeria—initially under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003 to 2006, and secondly under President Goodluck Jonathan from 2011 to 2015.
From June to August 2006, she served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria.
In 2005, Euromoney named her Global Finance Minister of the Year.
