Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Okonjo-Iweala revealed that the visit was to brief the president on the launch of the Women Exporters Fund for the Digital Economy — a joint programme of the WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva.
“It was a very good visit, and thanks to Mr President for making the time,” she said. “We came to brief him about something very joyful we did today, with the help of the First Lady. This fund is designed to help Nigerian women weather the storms of the economy, create jobs, and contribute more to the nation’s growth.”
Nigeria is one of only four countries selected globally for the initiative. Out of 67,000 Nigerian women who applied, 146 were chosen to receive direct financial and technical assistance. Sixteen “booster
track” winners will undergo 18 months of intensive business mentorship, while another 100 beneficiaries will each receive $5,000 and one year of structured business support.The scheme is being coordinated in Nigeria by the Ministry of Trade and Investment alongside the Nigerian Export Promotion Council. “This is just the beginning,” Okonjo-Iweala emphasised.
Commenting on the broader economic landscape, she commended the Tinubu administration’s reforms for fostering stability. “You cannot really improve an economy unless it’s stable. The president and his team have worked hard to achieve that. What is needed next is growth — and building social safety nets so that people feeling the pinch of reforms can weather the hardship,” she added.
The meeting comes just weeks before the expiration of Okonjo-Iweala’s first term as WTO Director-General on 31 August and ahead of her second four-year term, beginning 1 September. She made history in 2021 as the first African and the first woman to lead the 164-member global trade body.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that her continued leadership would further strengthen the WTO’s role in promoting inclusive global growth and economic governance.
