Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has revealed that a carefully planned communication strategy was instrumental in securing Nigeria’s historic Paris Club debt relief during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
She made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking at the public presentation of The Pain and the Promise, a new book authored by communications expert and public affairs analyst, Paul Nwabuikwu.
Recalling her appointment as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance in 2003 after leaving the World Bank, Okonjo-Iweala said she was tasked with restoring the country’s fragile finances and negotiating the cancellation of about $30bn owed to the Paris Club of creditors.
She explained that achieving those objectives required wide-ranging economic reforms that could only succeed if Nigerians understood the reasons behind them and were willing to support the difficult measures involved.
“I had been brought in from the World Bank to help straighten up and strengthen Nigeria’s weak finances, including getting rid of $30bn of the country’s debt owed to the Paris Club. To do this work, I knew Nigeria would have to undertake serious economic reforms of the type that would demand understanding and sacrifices from Nigerians,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala said effective communication became a central part of the reform agenda, prompting her to bring Nwabuikwu into the government’s economic team to help simplify complex policies for the public.
“One important component in my mind then was that we would need a crack communications person or team to help us reach Nigerians, to explain all of this in simple language. That is where Paul came in,” she said.
She described Nwabuikwu as “smart, articulate, compassionate, a terrific writer and communicator,” crediting his approach to public engagement with helping the reform programme gain public acceptance.
“I can say without fear of contradiction that we wouldn’t have had as much success with the reform programme if we had not had a masterful steering of communications from Paul,” she said.
According to the WTO chief, democratic reforms require more than introducing new laws and policies, stressing that governments must also earn public trust through effective communication.
She explained that Nwabuikwu understood that reforms in a democracy required more than policy implementation. “Reform is not just about writing new laws and enforcing new policies. It’s about persuading people, explaining trade-offs and building enough trust that governments can keep pushing through obstacles,” she added.
Okonjo-Iweala also expressed concern over Nigeria’s long-standing ethnic, religious and regional divisions, warning that they continue to hinder national progress. She argued that the country must develop a shared national vision that remains consistent regardless of changes in political leadership.
“Until Nigerians can overcome the ethnic, religious and regional divides embedded in our society to forge a social compact that agrees key directions for the nation, directions that remain steady no matter who is in government, I think Nigeria will find it difficult to move forward at the pace required to create enduring prosperity for our people,” she said.
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She urged Nigerians to place competence above ethnic or regional considerations, insisting that talent exists across every part of the country.
“I believe in talent from every corner of Nigeria. There’s no place in Nigeria that doesn’t have talented people. I don’t care what part of the country you come from. I just wanted you to do your job and do it professionally,” she said.
Reviewing The Pain and the Promise, Okonjo-Iweala described the 300-page book as a powerful account of Nigeria’s political, economic and social journey over the past three and a half decades.
She said the publication blends public commentary, personal experiences and historical reflections to create what she described as “a portrait of a generation in the life of the most interesting, if the most chaotic, country in the world.”
She encouraged young Nigerians to read the book, saying it offers valuable insight into the country’s history and the challenges shaping its present.
Nigeria secured a landmark $18bn debt relief agreement with the Paris Club in 2005, eliminating about 60 per cent of its nearly $30bn bilateral debt. The agreement was concluded under the Obasanjo administration and fully implemented on April 21, 2006.
Also speaking at the event, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, said the country needs constructive critics who appreciate the realities of governance, public officials who welcome scrutiny and citizens prepared to bridge the divide between both groups.
“There is pain, and I must say we all know that much of it is self-inflicted and not necessarily prolonged, but there is also promise in our people, in our creativity, and in the possibility of that thoughtful engagement,” he said.
Chidoka further contrasted the resilience of ordinary Nigerians with the challenges of the country’s institutions, noting that citizens and private businesses often rise above ethnic divisions in ways the state has yet to achieve. He cited examples ranging from people caring for widows and orphans regardless of tribe to entrepreneurs building successful businesses without regard to ethnic background.