‘Power Comes with Responsibility’ Dr. Okonjo-Iweala Says as She is Ranked Among World Most Powerful People
Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has congratulated reiterated her belief that power comes with “responsibility” noting that the opportunity to be powerful is a call to duty.
Okonjo-Iweala made the declaration while acknowledging her inclusion for the eight time as one of the 100 most powerful people in the world.
The WTO boss was among six black women listed on the 2025 “most powerful” list publication by Forbes Magazine, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala also graced the front page of the magazine.
Reacting in a statement shared on her social media handles, Mrs. Iweala stated that it is “Nice to make (for the eighth time) the @Forbes List of the 100 most powerful women of the world 2025 and to be on the cover of the magazine. With power comes responsibility! We are doing our best to fight for and reform the rules-based multilateral trading system, which the world needs to avoid a chaotic approach to world trade that would hurt the smallest and the least powerful countries.”
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala who has served in various top positions in Nigeria and globally was listed alongside, Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Prime Minister, Suminwa Judith, CEO of Bidvest, Mpumi Madisa, CEO of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, and Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Mottley on the influential Forbes list.
In the ranking, the WTO DG is ranked 92nd and described as “an economist and international development professional.”
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was a former Nigerian Finance Minister and Coordinating minister of the economy,, and later Foreign Minister and has also served in the World Bank, International Monetary Funds (IMF) among other international organisations.
She was first elected the DG of WTO in March 2021, she is currently serving a second term in the position.
In her profile as published by Forbes, she is described as possessing over 30 years of experience across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was educated in Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (IMT) where she earned her doctorate degree.
She is well known for her stance against corruption and she has remained a strong advocate for sustainable economic policies that creates opportunities for countries, especially in the developing world to harness their resources for the peoples.
