KemetLeads
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The economist who became the first woman — and first African — to lead global trade.
The rise
Two-time Nigerian finance minister and a 25-year World Bank veteran (rising to managing director), she built a reputation as a reformer and tough negotiator.
What they did
As finance minister she negotiated Nigeria's debt write-off and fought corruption; in 2021 she took the helm of the WTO, steering it through vaccine-equity and global trade-reform debates.
The full picture
She inherited a WTO weakened by deadlock among major powers — institutional reform there is slow and politically fraught, testing even her formidable negotiating skills.
Why it matters
She represents a new model of African leadership: technocratic, globally networked, and shaping the rules of the world economy from the top.
“I'm not afraid to speak truth to power.”
What citizens said
Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021–2023) — Nigeria
% who say 'trust somewhat' or 'trust a lot' · Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 891