Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is one of the most influential ladies in the world presently and became the first woman to be the Director of the World Trade Organization[WTO]. Before being nominated as the Director of WTO, she was a one-time Minister of Finance in Nigeria during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Many might wonder how she grew to become one of the most powerful women in the world, and this page will provide adequate information about her.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Biography
Born on June 13, 1954, in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria, she comes from a royal family. Her father, Professor Chukwuka Okonjo, was the king of the Obihai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Education
Ngozi attended Queen’s School situated in Enugu state. In addition, she attended St. Anne’s School, Molete in Ibadan, before proceeding to the Internation School located at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
It might interest you that she is also an alumnus of Harvard University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1976. She furthered her education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT), where she obtained her Master’s degree in City Planning and PhD in Regional Economics and Development. In addition, she has an international fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW), which supports her doctoral studies.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Career
She had a fantastic career so far and initially started at the World Bank, where she worked as a Development Economist before rising to Managing Director, Operations. After years of working with the World Bank, she was appointed minister of finance, a position from 2003 to 2006, and from 2011 to 2015 also, she served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In 2021, she was appointed the Director General of the World Trade Organization. Even though the United States Government was against her candidacy, she was backed by the European Union.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Family
Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is married to Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon by profession and very supportive of his wife’s career. She has four children, and according to Health Policy, all her children are Harvard University graduates.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Net worth
Having worked in different world-class organizations for over a decade, she has amassed much wealth throughout her career.