The Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts in stabilizing Nigeria’s economy, describing the reforms introduced by his administration as steps in the right direction.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday after a closed-door meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Okonjo-Iweala stressed that stability is a prerequisite for economic improvement and credited Tinubu for achieving it.

According to Eximia, she said:

“The President and his team have worked hard to stabilize the economy and you can’t really improve an economy unless it’s stable. He has to be given the credit for the stability of the economy, so the reforms have been in the right direction.”

The former Nigerian finance minister, however, emphasized the need to focus on the next phase — stimulating economic growth and providing social safety nets to cushion the effects of ongoing reforms.

“What is needed next is growth. We now need to grow the economy and we need to put in social safety nets so that the people who are feeling the pinch of the reforms can also have some support to weather the hardship,” she noted.

Okonjo-Iweala explained that discussions with President Tinubu also centered on strategies to create jobs, increase disposable income, and expand social protection measures for vulnerable Nigerians.

She concluded that achieving sustainable growth alongside a robust support system for citizens would be key to consolidating the progress made so far in stabilizing Nigeria’s economy.