President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, August 14, held a closed-door meeting with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The meeting focused on key national, continental, and global trade issues, with both leaders discussing strategies for economic growth and development.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala praised President Tinubu’s economic team for taking decisive steps to stabilize the Nigerian economy.

“We at the WTO believe the President and his team have worked hard to stabilize the economy. You cannot grow an economy without first achieving stability, and he deserves credit for that,” she said.

She further commended the direction of the administration’s reforms, describing them as necessary.

“The reforms are in the right direction. What is now needed is growth. We must prioritize economic expansion and ensure social safety nets are in place to support those feeling the impact of these reforms.”

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, emphasized the importance of balancing macroeconomic stability with social protection in the next phase of Nigeria’s economic recovery.