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Okonjo-Iweala’s Appointment as WTO Boss Now Official

okonjo-iweala

The appointment of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been made official. Okonjo-Iweala succeeds Brazilian Roberto Azevedo who surprisingly stepped down from the position in August of 2020.

The WTO took the decision at a special meeting of the General Council, following a selection process that included eight candidates from around the world.

Okonjo-Iweala’s pathway to the WTO throne was cleared in the first week of February 2021 after South Korean trade minister Yoo Myung-hee had withdrawn her candidacy, leaving Okonjo-Iweala as the only choice; and after the Joe Biden-led United States federal government endorsed her candidacy.  The Donald Trump presidency had blocked her appointment and rained on her parade, hence the delay in her appointment.

WTO General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand who, together with co-facilitators Amb. Dacio Castillo (Honduras) and Amb. Harald Aspelund (Iceland) led the nine-month DG selection process said

“This is a very significant moment for the WTO. On behalf of the General Council, I extend our warmest congratulations to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment as the WTO’s next Director-General and formally welcome her to this General Council meeting,” 

Also READ: Dangote Refinery Can Bail Nigeria Out Of Economic Recession – IMF

Okonjo-Iweala holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has been Nigeria’s finance minister and, briefly, foreign minister, and had a 25-year career at the World Bank as an advocate for economic growth and development in poorer countries. She rose to the No. 2 position of managing director, where she oversaw $81 billion in development financing in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia.

Speaking on her appointment Iweala siad:

“I absolutely do feel an additional burden, I can’t lie about that. Being the first woman and the first African means that one really has to perform.”

“All credit to members for electing me and making that history, but the bottom line is that if I want to really make Africa and women proud I have to produce results, and that’s where my mind is at now.”

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Business

Retail Fuel price drops nationwide At MRS Stations

MRS Oil Nigeria Plc has announced a reduction in the retail price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, across its stations nationwide.
The oil marketing firm disclosed on Monday, February 10, through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, that its stations in Lagos will now sell petrol at ₦925 per liter.

The move follows a similar price adjustment by its partner, Dangote Refinery, which recently lowered the ex-depot price to ₦890 per liter.

Beyond Lagos, MRS outlined region-specific pricing, with petrol selling at ₦935 per liter in the South West, ₦945 in the North, and ₦955 in the East.

The company assured consumers that the reduction would not compromise fuel quality.

“The prices may vary, but one thing stays the same—we give you high-quality fuel that keeps your engine running at its best,” the statement read.

MRS also urged customers to remain vigilant and report any stations selling above the new price.

“We are just a call or email away. Let us know if you notice any discrepancies,” the company added.

The price cut is expected to relieve motorists and businesses struggling with high fuel costs.

However, industry analysts say sustained reductions will depend on global crude prices and domestic refining capacity.

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Dominion City’s David Ogbueli Sets Up 1 Billion Naira Entrepreneurship Support Fund

David Ogbueli

Dominion City at its recently concluded 2025 Lagos Executive Leadership Retreat for Entrepreneurs & Career Professionals has set aside N1 billion to empower entrepreneurs. President of Dominion City Global, Dr. David Ogbueli made this public at the church’s Lagos headquarters.

The five-day retreat was geared towards equipping participants with the tools and mindset to improve their economic standing through wealth creation and innovation. At the retreat, participants—both onsite and online—numbering more than 1,000 were trained and fully exposed to addressing food security via pastoral farming, shifting agriculture, subsistence farming, and commercial agriculture; economic empowerment, discipleship, and spiritual growth; job creation; global migration and expansion; resource mobilization for business funding; and healthcare, among other topics.

The President of Dominion City Global, Dr. Ogbueli, who proposed a N1 billion support fund for entrepreneurs, stated that one of the goals of the empowerment retreat is to equip congregants with the skills, resources, and support necessary to succeed in business and their careers, thereby preparing them to further empower their immediate communities.

ALSO READ: Five Myths About CNG Cars Demystified

He emphasized the potential for exponential growth in businesses, calling for participants to achieve a 10-fold progression while advancing God’s kingdom. According to him, Dominion City is empowering God’s children to be problem-solvers and solution-givers, enabling them to turn societal problems into opportunities. Dr. Ogbueli also urged the church to embrace God’s principles and consistently provide solutions to societal problems to prosper.

“You have to give God something to work with. God’s blessings has to rest on something. You plant the seed, and God sends the rain, which brings the harvest. You are not going to prosper if you cannot find solutions to people’s problems. It is your information that will plant the seed. No amount of prophecy will guarantee the outcome if you don’t add your part to it. No matter what is prophesied to you, your choices determine the outcome,” he advised.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ogbueli called on churches to actively engage in structural economic development by empowering their members through entrepreneurship, ultimately contributing to the prosperity and well-being of society.

Some professionals addressed salient topics affecting the congregants and the nation’s economy, including Dr. Austine Maduka: “Kingdom Wealth Using Agriculture”; Mark Osang: “Discipleship and Spiritual Growth”; Alioha-Emmanuel Ihechi: “Cassava Farming and Processing”; Chidinma Okebalaman: “Global Migration/Positioning/Expansion”; and Dr. Jackie Ikeotuonye, CEO of BFA Integrative Health & Wellness Clinic: “Health and Cure.”

Others included Uzoma Ayodeji: “Attracting Grants for Social Enterprises: Practical Steps for Success”; John David: “Strategic Creativity: Organic Innovation for Accelerated Productivity in Business and Career Optimization”; and various other topics such as “Epidemiology and Control of Lassa Fever” and “Seeing and Owning the Future: The Future of Work.”

It will be recalled that Dr. David Ogbueli in December 2024 at his Abuja Headquarters personally disbursed N100,000 to over 100 church members while providing hundreds more with substantial cash gifts and food items.

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Business

Communications Minister Hints At Upcoming Call and Data Tariff Increase

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani has announced that prices are expected to rise by 30-60 percent.

The revelation comes days after Tijani confirmed that telecom services tariffs would increase, but not by the proposed 100 percent.

Tijani says the telecommunications sector relies heavily on investment to drive Nigeria’s economic growth. He said investors in the sector must continually invest in equipment to remain relevant, despite the challenges posed by inflation.

“The sector is about investment in infrastructure; the technologies are changing, so you have to keep investing in technology. Things like 3G will be decommissioned at some point because you have higher technology, so they have to keep investing in equipment. And we all know that there is inflation. For us, as we are protecting them, we want to keep importing capital in the sector. The foreign direct investment in our sector in the first quarter of 2024, driven by telcos, was close to $199 million; this is bigger than the entire inflow in 2023. We can’t get to a $1 trillion economy if mobile network operators are investing at a snail’s pace,” he stated.

Telecommunication operators have been advocating for approval to increase service tariffs, citing the rising inflation in the country. The implementation of key policies by the present administration, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of exchange rates, has significantly contributed to the increase in economic inflation across Nigeria.

Rejecting telecom operators’ calls for a 100% hike, Dr. Tijani emphasized that a moderate increase would balance affordability and sector growth.

“The telecommunications sector contributes over 16% to our GDP, employs thousands of Nigerians, and is vital to the digital economy. However, we must ensure services remain accessible while sustaining the sector’s viability,” Dr. Tijani explained.

He highlighted that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is leading a data-driven tariff review process, prioritizing consumer interests and long-term sector sustainability.

Addressing rural connectivity, the minister announced plans to deploy 90,000 kilometers of fiber-optic cables and construct telecom towers in remote areas through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs). He also noted Nigeria’s leadership in managing telecommunications infrastructure resilience, particularly in mitigating submarine cable disruptions.

Dr. Tijani reaffirmed the government’s commitment to harmonizing taxes, declaring telecom infrastructure a critical national asset, and holding operators accountable for service interruptions.

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