Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Biography, Salary and Net worth, Wikipedia, Husband, Education, Family, Achievements
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala GCON (born 13 June 1954) is a Nigerian economist, who has been serving as the Director- General of the World Trade Organization since March 2021. Notably, she is the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization as Director-General.
Personal Details
| Born | 13 June 1954 Ogwashi Ukwu, Nigeria |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | Nigeria (1954–present) United States (2019–present) |
| Political party | Peoples Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Ikemba Iweala |
| Children | 4, including Uzodinma |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA, PhD) |
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Biography, wikipedia
Okonjo-Iweala was born in Ogwashi- Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria, where her father, Professor Chukwuka Okonjo, was the Obi (king) of the Obahai royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu in Nigeria. Okonjo-Iweala was educated at Queen’s School, Enugu; St. Anne’s School, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo State; and the International School Ibadan. She arrived in the US in 1973 to study at Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude with an AB in Economics in 1976. She earned a master’s degree in city planning in 1978 and her PhD in regional economics and development in 1981 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the thesis Credit policy, rural financial markets, and Nigeria’s agricultural development. She received an international fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW), which supported her doctoral studies.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Education and Career
Okonjo-Iweala serves Brookings Institution as a non-resident distinguished fellow with the Africa Growth IniTiative in their Global Economy and Development Program. She is a Commissioner and Co-Chair of Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. At The World Bank, she had a 25-year career as a development economist; rising to become Managing Director for Operations from 2007 to 2011. Okonjo-Iweala was the first Nigerian woman to serve two terms as Finance Minister of Nigeria; iniTially, under President Olusegun ObAsanjo from 2003 to 2006; and secondly, under President Goodluck Jonathan from 2011 to 2015. Subsequently, from June to August 2006, she served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria. In 2005, Euromoney named her Global Finance Minister of the Year.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala family
She is married to Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon from Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.They have four children, including author Uzodinma Iweala.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Citizenship
During her campaign to become the next Director-General of the WTO, it was revealed that Okonjo-Iweala became a US citizen in 2019 after spending several decades working and studying there. Given the ongoing trade tensions between China and the US, analysts commented that the disclosure would be a contributing factor in shaping Chinaʼs attitude towards her.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala achievements
Government agencies
- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Member of the International Advisory Board (since 2017)
International organizations
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Member of the International Advisory Panel (since 2016)
- OECD/UNDP Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB), Member of the Board
- GAVI, Chair of the Board (2016–2020)
- African Development Bank (AfDB), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (2003–2006, 2011–2015)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF), Member of the International Monetary and Finance Committee (2003–2006, 2011–2015)
- Joint World Bank-IMF Development Committee, Chair (2004)
Corporate boards
- Danone, Member of the Mission Committee (since 2020)
- Twitter, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2018)
- Standard Chartered, Independent Non-executive Member of the Board of Directors (since 2017)
- Lazard, Senior Advisor (since 2015)
Non-profit organizations
- Africa Europe Foundation (AEF), Member of the High-Level Group of Personalities on Africa-Europe Relations (since 2020)
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2019)
- Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Member of the Advisory Board (since 2018)
- Results for Development (R4D), Member of the Board of Directors (since 2014)
- Women’s World Banking, Member of the Africa Advisory Council (since 2014)
- The B Team, Member (since 2013)
- Friends of the Global Fund Africa, Member of the Board (since 2007)
- Global Financial Integrity (GFI), Member of the Advisory Board (since 2007)
- African Risk Capacity, Chair of the Board
- African University of Science and Technology, Chair of the Board
- Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, Member of the Advisory Board
- Global Business Coalition for Education, Member of the Advisory Board
- International Growth Centre (IGC), Senior Advisor
- Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS), Member of the Advisory Board
- Mercy Corps, Member of the Global Leadership Council
- Rockefeller Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees (2008–2018)
- Nelson Mandela Institution, Chair of the Board
- One Campaign, Member of the Board
- Oxford Martin School, Member of the Advisory Council
- Vital Voices, Member of the Global Advisory Council
- World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders Foundation, former Member of the Board
Awards & Recognition
Okonjo-Iweala has received numerous recognition and awards. She has been listed as one of the 50 Greatest World Leaders (Fortune, 2015), the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (TIME, 2014 and 2021), the Top 100 Global Thinkers (Foreign Policy, 2011 and 2012), the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (Forbes, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2022), the 25 Most Influential Women in the World (Financial Times, 2021), the Top 3 Most Powerful Women in Africa (Forbes, 2012), the Top 10 Most Influential Women in Africa (Forbes, 2011), the Top 100 Women in the World (The Guardian, 2011), the Top 150 Women in the World (Newsweek, 2011), the Top 100 most inspiring people in the World Delivering for Girls and Women (Women Deliver, 2011). She was listed among 73 “brilliant” business influencers in the world by Condé Nast International.
In 2019, Okonjo-Iweala was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She was also conferred High National Honours from the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of Liberia. She was also the recipient of Nigeria’s second highest national honor Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON, 2022) and Nigeria’s third highest National Honors Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). She also received the Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco from the Federative Republic of Brazil in 2023. Other honors include:
- 2004 – TIME’s European Heroes Award
- 2004 – Finance Minister of the Year, Africa Investor Magazine
- 2005 – Finance Minister of the Year for Africa and the Middle East, Emerging Markets Magazine
- 2005 – Global Finance Minister of the Year, Euromoney
- 2005 – Finance Minister of the Year for Africa and the Middle East, The Banker
- 2010 – Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award
- 2010 – Global Leadership Award, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs
- 2011 – Global Leadership Award, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
- 2011 – President of the Italian Republic Gold Medal, Pia Manzu Centre
- 2014 – David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award
- 2016 – Global Fairness Award, Global Fairness Initiative
- 2016 – Power with Purpose Award, Devex Development Communications Network
- 2017 – Madeleine K. Albright Global Development Award, Aspen Institute
- 2017 – Women’s Economic Empowerment Award, WEConnect International
- 2017 – Vanguard Award, Howard University
- 2017 – BBC’s 100 women
- 2020 – African of the Year, Forbes Africa
- 2022 – 50 Over 50: EMEA Award, Forbes
- 2022 – Golden Plate Award, American Academy of Achievement
- 2022 – Humanitarian Award for a Lifetime of Public Service and Advocacy of Sustainable International Development, United Nations Association of New York
Honorary degrees
Okonjo-Iweala has received honorary Doctorate Degrees from 19 universities worldwide, including some from the most prestigious colleges:
- Brown University (2006),
- Colby College (2007)
- Trinity College, Dublin (2007)
- Amherst College (2009)
- University of Pennsylvania (2013)
- Yale University (2015)
- Northern Caribbean University, Jamaica
- LUISS Guido Carli, Italy (2021)
- American University (2022)
- Nyenrode Business University (2022)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (2023)
She has also received degrees from a host of Nigerian universities including Abia State University, Delta State University, Abraka, Oduduwa University, Babcock University, and the Universities of Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Ife (Obafemi Awolowo university). In 2019, Okonjo Iweala was awarded an honorary degree from Tel Aviv University. On the 7th of February 2022 Okonjo-Iweala received her 20th honorary Doctorate Degrees from the London School of Economics.
Work
Books
- Sallah, Tijan; Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (2003). Chinua Achebe: Teacher of Light, A Biography. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. ISBN 978-1-59221-031-2. LCCN 2002152037. OCLC 50919841. OL 3576773M.
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi; Soludo, Charles Chukwuma; Muhtar, Mansur, eds. (2003). The Debt Trap in Nigeria: Towards a Sustainable Debt Strategy. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. ISBN 9781592210015. LCCN 2002007778. OCLC 49875048. OL 12376413M.
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (2012). Reforming the Unreformable: Lessons from Nigeria. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-01814-2. LCCN 2012008453. OCLC 878501895. OL 25238823M.
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (2018). Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-03801-0. LCCN 2017041524. OCLC 1003273241. OL 27372326M.
- Gillard, Julia; Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (2020). Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons. Penguin. p. 336. ISBN 9780143794288. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
Articles
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi; Keller, Janeen Madan (19 January 2016). “Shine a Light on the Gaps: Financial Inclusion Matters for Africa’s Smallholder Farmers”. Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019.
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (2016). “Funding THE SDGs: Licit and Illicit Financial Flows From Developing Countries”. Horizons: Journal of International Relations and Sustainable Development. 6 (6): 108–117. JSTOR 48573616.
Talks
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (March 2007). Want to Help Africa? Do Business Here (TED Talk). Archived from the original on 17 February 2021.
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (June 2007). Aid versus trade (TED Talk). Archived from the original on 17 February 2021.
- Okonjo-Iweala, Ngozi (10 January 2014). Don’t trivialise corruption, tackle it (TEDxEuston). Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
