WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been honoured with the inaugural WE Empower Trailblazer Award for Lifetime Achievement.
The award recognises her longstanding work in supporting and empowering women throughout her career.
The WE Empower Trailblazer Award is part of the WE Empower UN SDG Challenge Initiative, co-convened by the Arizona State University Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and Vital Voices Global Partnership. It celebrates innovative women leaders advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Okonjo-Iweala was named the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement category for her consistent efforts in promoting gender equality, economic empowerment, and sustainable development across Africa and globally.
In a statement, Okonjo-Iweala described the recognition as both an honour and a privilege. She thanked the organisers and highlighted the importance of continued support for women in leadership and entrepreneurship.
She also humorously noted that she received a Swiss Army Knife as part of the award, in recognition of her ability to “cut through the nonsense and get straight to the point.”
The award adds to Okonjo-Iweala’s long list of global honours. It comes at a time when she continues to play a key role in international trade and development discussions, particularly in advancing issues affecting women and developing economies.
Her work has consistently focused on using economic policy and global partnerships to create opportunities for women, especially in Africa.
The announcement has been warmly received by many who see it as a well-deserved recognition of her decades of service in public life, including her roles as Nigeria’s Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, as well as her current position at the WTO..
