The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on Nigeria to strategically target international investors and supply chain relocations to stimulate job creation, boost manufacturing, and lessen dependence on imports.
She made the remarks during a panel discussion titled “From Scale to Capital: Financing Nigeria’s Role as Africa’s Digital Trade and Infrastructure Anchor,” held at Nigeria House as part of the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos.
Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged ongoing economic reforms in Nigeria but emphasized the need to pivot from stabilization to tangible job creation. “I think they need to yield to job creation. That was what I said to His Excellency—that we need to move from stabilisation to job creation, because that is where we are lacking,” she stated.
Highlighting current global trade shifts, including geopolitical tensions and “China+1” diversification strategies, she pointed out that these disruptions offer Nigeria a critical window to attract a portion of relocating supply chains.
However, she cautioned that much of the current diversification remains within Asia, with India also emerging as a key destination.
