• Urges Tinubu to provide safety nets for Nigerians amid economic reforms
By Obinna Uballa
Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritise social safety nets to help Nigerians cope with the hardships arising from his administration’s economic reforms.
Speaking to State House correspondents on Thursday after a courtesy visit to the President in Abuja, Okonjo-Iweala commended Tinubu’s efforts to stabilise the economy, describing the reforms as “steps in the right direction.”
She, however, stressed that beyond stability, there was an urgent need to stimulate growth and shield vulnerable citizens from the immediate shocks of policy changes.
“We think the President and his team have worked hard to stabilise the economy, and you cannot improve an economy unless it’s stable,” she said. “The next step is growth. We need to grow the economy and put in social safety nets so people who are feeling the pinch of the reforms can have support to weather the hardship.”
Her visit also coincided with the launch of the Women Exporters Fund for the Digital Economy, an initiative jointly managed by the WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) to boost women-led businesses.
According to her, Nigeria was selected as one of four countries globally to benefit from the fund after a competitive process. Out of 67,000 Nigerian women who applied, 146 were chosen for financial and technical support.
Sixteen recipients under the “booster track” will receive business and technical assistance for 18 months to scale up their enterprises, while another 100 will each get $5,000 alongside 12 months of business support to start or strengthen their ventures.
