By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed.
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the World Trade Organisation and the multilateral trading system, with Vice President Kashim Shettima insisting that no country can prosper in isolation from the global community.
Shettima made the remarks during a meeting with the Director General of the WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Leaders Summit in New Delhi, assuring her that Nigeria would continue to support the organisation in championing multilateralism.
He described the world as one interconnected human family, stressing that no nation can divorce itself from the global community, and made a case for migration as an important driver of development, innovation and economic growth.
Citing the Nigerian diaspora as an example, Shettima said Nigerians abroad have continued to distinguish themselves through education, enterprise and professional achievement, referencing a Pew Research Center analysis showing that 67 percent of Nigerian born Black immigrants in the United States aged 25 and above hold at least a bachelor’s degree, the highest proportion among major Black immigrant groups.
The Vice President commended Okonjo Iweala’s leadership of the WTO, urging her to continue deploying her experience in service to global development, describing her work at the organisation as wonderful while noting she still has much to contribute.
Okonjo Iweala, the first woman and first African to head the WTO, began her second four year term as Director General in September 2025.
Shettima was expected to present Nigeria’s partnership and foreign investment opportunities to BRICS leaders the following day, reiterating President Tinubu’s objective of creating sustainable opportunities for Nigerians through reforms and private sector led growth.
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
