Tinubu deserves credit for economic stability, says WTO chief Okonjo-Iweala

By Kunle Sanni –

Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has commended President Bola Tinubu for stabilising Nigeria’s economy, saying the next priority must be achieving growth and building social safety nets.

Speaking to journalists after a courtesy visit to the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, Okonjo-Iweala said the economic reforms introduced by the administration have been in the right direction.

“The president and his team have worked hard to stabilise the economy, and you cannot really improve an economy unless it’s stable,” she said. “Tinubu has to be given the credit for the stability of the economy.”

The WTO chief stressed that the next phase should focus on boosting growth and protecting vulnerable Nigerians from the impact of ongoing reforms.

“We now need to grow the economy and put in social safety nets so that people who are feeling the pinch of reforms can have some support,” she added. “The challenge is how to cushion the hardship people are facing and, at the same time, create more jobs and put more money in households’ pockets.”

Okonjo-Iweala was at the Villa to brief President Tinubu on recent trade initiatives, including a newly launched Women Exporters Fund designed to help small businesses scale up and expand Nigeria’s participation in the digital economy.