There is this English wise saying, “the taste of the pudding is in the eating.” Nearer to the point I’m trying to make is what a Hausa man would say that he wouldn’t believe anything you told him, “sai an gani a kasa.” In other words, seeing is believing. Thomas, one of Jesus Christ’s disciples, said he would not accept the Messiah had risen until he felt the scars left on his palms and feet by his crucifiers. The French have their own adage, “c’est en goûtant que l’on sait si c’est bon”.
Consider our own Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, about to end her first term as direct-general of the 166-nation World Trade Organization [WTO]. On Nov. 29, she was reappointed for a second four years, beginning September 1 2025. Her first appointment was opposed by some doubting Thomases, principally the United States. But this time round, there was no rival candidate. Ngozi stood unposed and was reappointed by “general consensus.” The doubted woman of 2021 had been tested for 4 years and found to be eminently fit for the job. General Council chair, ambassador Petter Olberg, said the reappointment process was initiated on 8 October 2024. With no additional nominations submitted by the 8 November deadline, he said, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stood as the sole candidate. The process was conducted in a fully open and transparent manner, adhering to the WTO’s “Procedures for the Appointment of Directors-General” (WT/L/509).
During a special General Council meeting on 28-29 November, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala outlined her forward-looking vision for the WTO. Following her presentation and a Q&A session with members, the Council formally endorsed her reappointment by consensus. Ambassador Ølberg praised her achievements, stating, “The General Council commends Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her outstanding leadership during her first term. Amid significant global economic challenges, she strengthened the WTO’s ability to support its members and set a forward-looking agenda for the organization. Her leadership was instrumental in securing meaningful outcomes at pivotal moments, including the 12th and 13th Ministerial Conferences (MC12 and MC13), where major milestones were achieved. As we look ahead, the Council fully supports Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s commitment to ensuring that the WTO remains responsive, inclusive, and results-driven. Her leadership will be critical as the organization continues to advance a resilient, rules-based, and equitable global trading system.”
The United States, which had fought doggedly to stop the Nigerian from becoming the first African and woman to head the WTO, this time had only praise for her. Its WTO ambassador Katherine Tai had this to say of her, “The United States appreciates her work over the last nearly four years leading the WTO’s Secretariat. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to the work and future of the organization. We support strong and continued collaboration with the Director-General to find necessary paths forward to achieve substantive and procedural reform of the WTO.” Incidentally, it was the same new Joe Biden administration that reversed his predecessor Donald Trump’s stand against Okonjo-Iweala. Now a new Trump government will take office January 20. How it will react to her reappointment we wait to see.
Meanwhile, Okonjo-Iweala, has accepted her reappointment, pledging she remains “firmly committed to delivering results that matter—results that ultimately improve the lives of people around the world.” She said in a statement after the General Council decision, “By promoting trade as a driver of economic growth and resilience, the WTO will continue to provide a collaborative platform for members to address shared global challenges. I am deeply committed to working alongside the talented and dedicated staff of the WTO to build a more inclusive, equitable, and rules-based multilateral trading system that benefits all.” Nigerian president Bola Tinubu has sent his congratulations. “As a committed member of the WTO, ECOWAS, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Nigeria will continue to support the WTO’s mission to foster a fair, inclusive, and equitable multilateral trading system,” he said through his spokesman Bayo Onanuga. According to him, the president assured Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria’s “steadfast support as she consolidates her bold reforms, dedication to equitable global trade practices, and tireless efforts to promote international cooperation.”
It isn’t clear what had made Okonjo-Iweala seek reappointment, having last year threatened to resign because she wasn’t getting support from most member states, we were told. Not surprising because, before her coming on board, interest in the WTO as the body charged with regulating terms of trade between nation’s had weaned. The DG before her left office almost a year before his tenure was to expire. In her first term, she managed to restore some level of credibility to the WTO but her frustrations over the slow pace of reform, hindered mostly by unilateralism pursued by power houses like the United States, remained unassigned. What more, she didn’t do much to alter the unfavourable terms of trade suffered by developing countries, most of them in Africa. Her second term is therefore pregnant with a lot expectations.
