Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a global finance expert, economist and international development professional.
She is being recognised in Nigeria and the world at large because of the many different positions she has handled. For example, she was the first female Foreign Affairs Minister in Nigeria. In 2010, she also broke another record as the first female and black candidate to contest for the presidency of World Bank Group.We'd be seeing Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's biography, date of birth, age, early life, family, parents, siblings, husband, education, career, awards, net worth, houses, cars, social media handles and everything else you'd love to know about her.
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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Profile
Full name: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Date of birth: 3rd June 1954
Age: 67 years old (2021)
Place of birth: Delta State, Nigeria
Nationality: Nigeria
Parents: Professor Chukwuka Okonjo (father), Kamene Okonjo (mother)
Education: Harvard University
Spouse(s): Dr. Ikemba Iweala
Children: Onyinye Iweala, Uzodinma Iweala, Okechukwu Iweala, and Uchechi Iweala
Occupation: Economist
Net worth:
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Biography, Date Of Birth, Age, Early Life, Family And Education
After completing her primary education, Ngozi enrolled at the Queen's School, Enugu. She also schooled at St. Anne's School, Molete, Ibadan, and the International School Ibadan before proceeding to the United States where she gained admission to study at Harvard University.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in 1981, earned her PhD in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Career
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala worked at the World Bank in Washington DC as a development economist for over 25 years, rising to the No. 2 position of Managing Director. She also held the post of Corporate Secretary and Vice President.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister and also as Minister of Foreign Affairs. While serving under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Okonjo-Iweala spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club that led to the wiping out of US$30 billion of Nigeria’s debt, including the outright cancellation of US$18 billion.
After serving under Obasanjo's administration, she got appointed as a Managing Director of World Bank Group. Okonjo-Iweala as a Managing Director had the oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Europe, Central Asia, South Asia and Africa.
During President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was later re-appointed as the Finance Minister, with the expanded portfolio of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy. He legacy as a Finance Minister includes strengthening Nigeria’s public financial systems and stimulating the housing sector with the establishment of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Corporation (NMRC).
She was also responsible for the implementation of the GIFMS (Government Integrated Financial Management System), the TSA (Treasury Single Accounts) and the IPPMS (Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management System).
In 2012, she was a contested for President of the World Bank, running against Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim. Assuming she was elected, she would have been the organization's first female president.
Okonjo-Iweala was on June 2020, nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria's candidate to be director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). She was unanimously appointed as the next director-general on 15th February 2021.
Personal Life
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is married to Dr. Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon at the United States. The marriage is blessed with four children, Onyinye Iweala, Uzodinma Iweala, Okechukwu Iweala, and Uchechi Iweala.Awards and Recognitions
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has received numerous recognitions and awards. Some of them include:• Finance Minister of the Year, Africa Investor Magazine (2004)
• TIME’s European Heroes Award (2004)
• Finance Minister of the Year for Africa and the Middle East, The Banker (2004)
• Finance Minister of the Year for Africa and the Middle East, Emerging Markets Magazine (2005)
• Global Finance Minister of the Year, Euromoney (2005)
• Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award (2010)
• Global Leadership Award, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (2010 – 2011)
• Global Leadership Award, Chicago Council on Global Affairs (2011)
• President of the Italian Republic Gold Medal, Pia Manzu Centre (2011)
• Top 10 Most Influential Women in Africa (Forbes, 2011)
• Top 100 most inspiring people in the World Delivering for Girls and Women (Women Deliver, 2011)
• Top 150 Women in the World (Newsweek, 2011)
• Top 100 Women in the World (The Guardian, 2011)
• The Top 100 Global Thinkers (Foreign Policy, 2011 and 2012)
• Top 3 Most Powerful Women in Africa (Forbes, 2012)
• David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award (2014)• The Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (TIME, 2014)
• One of the 50 Greatest World Leaders (Fortune, 2015)
• Global Fairness Award, Global Fairness Initiative (2016)
• Power with Purpose Award, Devex Development Communications Network (2016)
• Women’s Economic Empowerment Award, WEConnect International (2017)
• Vanguard Award, Howard University (2017)
• Madeleine K. Albright Global Development Award, Aspen Institute (2017)
• She is a recipient of Nigeria's Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR)
• Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (Forbes, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014)
• Condé Nast International also listed her among the 73 “brilliant” business influencers in the world.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's Books
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is also an author, with a number of books to her credit. Some of them include:• Transparency and Accountability in the Management of Public Funds
• Chinua Achebe: Teacher of Light
• Reforming the Unreformable
• Economic Reforms: Progress and Challenges
• Fighting Corruption is Dangerous
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Net Worth
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has served in different positions in Nigeria and the world at large. Prior to getting her first appointment in Nigeria, she was worked the World Bank in Washington DC rising to the No. 2 position of Managing Director.Okonjo-Iweala's official net worth is not available, but we promise to update this article as soon as we get credible information from a reliable source.
Social Media Handles
You can connect with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on:
Twitter @NOIweala
Facebook: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Before you leave, also check out our next article on Nigeria's Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami.
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