World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has applauded President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to bring stability to Nigeria’s economy, describing his administration’s reforms as steps in the right direction.
Okonjo-Iweala spoke to State House correspondents on Thursday, August 14, after a courtesy visit to the President, where she also introduced a groundbreaking initiative designed to empower Nigerian women in the digital export space.
“We came to brief Mr. President about something very joyful that we did today with the help of the First Lady, the launch of the Women Exporters Fund for the Digital Economy,” she said.
The fund, jointly managed by the WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, aims to strengthen the economy by supporting women to withstand financial challenges, create jobs for themselves, and employ others.
According to her, Nigeria emerged as one of four countries worldwide to benefit from the scheme, following stiff competition.
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On Nigeria’s economy, Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged that the administration had achieved stability through initial reforms.
“We think that the President and his team have worked hard to stabilise the economy. You cannot really improve an economy unless it is stable.
“So he has to be given the credit for that stability. The reforms have been in the right direction,” she stated.
However, she stressed the need for policies that drive economic expansion and provide cushioning for those most affected by current reforms.
“What is needed next is growth. We now need to grow the economy and build social safety nets so that people who are feeling the pinch of the reforms can have some support.
“These are issues we discussed with Mr. President, how to grow the economy, create more jobs, and put more money into people’s pockets,” she concluded.