The Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has emphasized the importance of maintaining policy consistency in Nigeria across different administrations. Speaking at the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Lagos, Okonjo-Iweala called for a “social contract” that would ensure essential policies remain unchanged, regardless of leadership changes.
Okonjo-Iweala, a globally respected economist and former Nigerian finance minister, criticized what she termed the “not-in-my-administration syndrome,” which she believes has contributed to Nigeria’s suboptimal economic performance. She urged the adoption of consistent economic and social policies, which should be legislated after thorough public scrutiny.
Addressing a gathering of lawyers, she stated, “Maintaining good economic and social policies; maintaining policy consistency and adding more reforms on top of that will lead us along the path of good progress that we all desire.” She further stressed the need for a secure and independent Central Bank, warning against its manipulation for fiscal purposes.
The event, themed ‘Pressing Forward; A National Posture to Rebuilding Nigeria,’ featured notable figures including former Ghanaian President John Mahama and Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, among others.
