By Abubakar Basiru, 300 lvl, Mass Comm
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Science on the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to global economic development and public service.
The honorary degree was awarded on 31 January 2026 during the University’s 45th Convocation Ceremony, held at the Samaru Main Campus, Zaria.
The historic event attracted an array of eminent personalities, including traditional rulers, political leaders, academics, diplomats, students, parents, media professionals, and other dignitaries from across Nigeria and beyond.
Among those in attendance were President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, represented by the Minister of State for Education, Dr Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad; the Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, His Majesty Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, CFR, MNI, the Obi of Onitsha; the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adamu Ahmed; the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR; the Emir of Zazzau, HRH Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR; and The Rt. Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, GCVO, former Archbishop of Canterbury.
Also present were the award recipient, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, GCON; the Governor of Kano State, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf; the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. (Chief) Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori, as well as representatives of academic institutions, professors, deans of faculties, heads of departments, government officials, and other invited guests.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala was described by the University as “a distinguished daughter of Africa, a global economic leader, and one of Nigeria’s most accomplished public servants.”
The University’s Governing Council noted that the honour was in recognition of her decades of exemplary service, leadership, and contributions to national and international development.
Receiving the degree through the Chancellor, Dr Okonjo-Iweala expressed profound gratitude to the University community and the entire ABU family for the honour.
“Despite the 21 honorary degrees that I received, this one is special,” she said. “It is special because it is from home.”
The Director-General also at the time commended the institution for its academic initiatives and commitment to excellence. "I've been very impressed by some of the initiatives", she said.
Prior to the convocation ceremony, Dr Okonjo-Iweala delivered the University’s 45th Pre-Convocation Lecture on 30 January 2026 at the Abdullahi Mahadi Conference Centre, Samaru Campus.
The lecture was chaired by Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, represented by the Pro-Chancellor, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR.
Speaking on the topic “The Challenges and Opportunities for Africa and Nigeria in the Present Global Geopolitical and Geostrategic Context,” the WTO Director-General examined Africa’s position in the evolving global order and highlighted pathways for sustainable growth and development.
A Journey of Excellence: One of
Nigeria’s Most Accomplished Public Servants
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala assumed office as Director-General of the World Trade Organization on 1 March 2021, becoming the first woman and first African to lead the global trade body. She is an internationally renowned economist, global finance expert, and development professional with over four decades of experience across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America.
She previously served as Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and has held board positions at Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc. She was appointed African Union Special Envoy to mobilise international financial support for the COVID-19 response and served as WHO Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala is widely respected as a skilled negotiator, consensus builder, and trusted global leader. She twice served as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance (2003–2006 and 2011–2015) and briefly as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2006, becoming the first woman to hold both offices. During her tenure, she implemented far-reaching reforms that strengthened transparency, accountability, and institutional efficiency.
She spent 25 years at the World Bank, rising to the position of Managing Director, Operations, where she oversaw an $81 billion operational portfolio spanning Africa, South Asia, Europe, and Central Asia. She played a pivotal role in supporting low-income countries during the global food and financial crises and led the successful $49.3 billion replenishment of concessional financing for the world’s poorest nations.
As Nigeria’s Finance Minister, she spearheaded negotiations that led to the historic $30 billion debt relief deal with the Paris Club of Creditors. She also championed key public finance reforms, including the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMS), and Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management System (IPPMS).
Dr Okonjo-Iweala has received numerous global honours, recognitions, including listings among Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, TIME’s Most Influential People, and Fortune’s Greatest World Leaders. She has been conferred with Nigeria’s second-highest national honour, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s third-highest national honour, Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), several international awards for leadership and public service.
She also recieved 22 honorary degrees from various universities across the world including Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Trinity College (University of Dublin), Amherst College, Colby College, Tel Aviv University, Northern Caribbean University, Jamaica, University of Amsterdam, American University, Nyenrode Business University, London School of Economics and Political Science, Delta State University, Oduduwa University, and recently the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University among others.
She is the founder of NOI-Polls, Nigeria’s first indigenous opinion research organisation, and the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (C-SEA). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard University and a PhD in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the author of several influential books and scholarly publications on leadership, corruption, economic reform, and global development. She is married to Dr Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon, and they have four children and five grandchildren.