Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a renowned Nigerian-American economist and international development expert who has held several high-profile positions in global organizations.
Biography
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was born on June 13, 1954, in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria. She completed her secondary education at Queen’s School, Enugu, before moving to the United States for higher education.
Okonjo-Iweala earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard University in 1976 and went on to obtain a Ph.D. in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1981.
Career in International Organizations
Okonjo-Iweala began her career at the World Bank, where she worked for 25 years in various roles. She served as the Vice President and Corporate Secretary (2000-2003) and as the Managing Director (2007-2011), overseeing operations in Africa, South Asia, Europe, and Central Asia.
She played a key role in initiatives related to economic development, debt relief, and combating AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Okonjo-Iweala served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister on two occasions: from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2015. During her tenure, she implemented fiscal reforms, worked on debt relief negotiations, and promoted transparency and accountability in public finances.
In 2021, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala made history as the first woman and the first African to be appointed as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). She has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to economics, development policy, and international diplomacy.
Authorship and Advocacy
Okonjo-Iweala has authored several books and articles on economic development, finance, and international trade. She is a vocal advocate for gender equality, youth empowerment, and sustainable development in Africa and globally.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s career is marked by her dedication to economic development, public service, and international cooperation. She continues to be a prominent figure in global economics and policy, advocating for reforms that promote inclusive growth and prosperity.
Family
Her husband, neurosurgeon Ikemba Iweala, hails from Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. Together, they have four children, one of whom is author Uzodinma Iweala. It was revealed during her campaign to become the next Director-General of the WTO that Okonjo-Iweala became a US citizen in 2019 after working and studying there for several decades. In light of the ongoing trade tensions between China and the US, analysts speculated that this revelation would influence China’s stance toward her.
Awards
Okonjo-Iweala has won various honors and recognitions. According to various lists, she is among the 50 Greatest World Leaders (Fortune, 2015), one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (TIME, 2014 and 2021), one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers (Foreign Policy, 2011 and 2012), one of the Top 100 Powerful Women in the World (Forbes, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2022), one of the 25 Most Influential Women in the World (Financial Times, 2021), one of the Top 3 Most Powerful Women in Africa (Forbes, 2012), one of the Top 10 Most Influential Women in Africa (Forbes, 2011), one of the Top 100 Women in the World (The Guardian, 2011).
Okonjo-Iweala was chosen to join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in the year 2019.[113] The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of Liberia also bestowed upon her High National Honours.
In addition, she received the third-highest national title in Nigeria, the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), and the second-highest honor, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON, 2022).[101] In 2023, the Federative Republic of Brazil awarded her the Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco as well.
