WTO DG Okonjo-Iweala Urges Delta Govt. to Leverage AfCFTA, Global Supply Chains for Industrial Growth
The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged the Delta State Government to position the state as a major industrial and investment destination by leveraging opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the ongoing diversification of global supply chains.
Speaking as the keynote speaker at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Asaba on Monday, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala noted that shifting global trade dynamics had created a rare opportunity for states like Delta to attract investment and become key players in regional and global value chains.
She explained that companies and governments are increasingly seeking to reduce geopolitical risks by diversifying and de-concentrating supply chains, a trend the WTO describes as “re-globalisation.”
“The resulting push by companies and governments to reduce exposure to geopolitical and other risks by de-concentrating supply chains is an opportunity for what we at the WTO are calling re-globalisation, making global value chains more resilient to shocks by attracting more investment to places like Nigeria and to Delta State,” she said.
The WTO chief stated that the AfCFTA, with its 1.4 billion-person market, harmonised standards and integrated infrastructure, offers African economies an unprecedented opportunity to attract investment and strengthen exports.
She stressed that Delta State should place these opportunities at the centre of its growth and development strategy.
“I am convinced that Delta State has the ingredients to become Nigeria’s next great industrial hub, standing alongside Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt as an engine of the national economy.”
Okonjo-Iweala emphasised that the emergence of Delta as another economic growth centre would ease pressure on existing commercial hubs while contributing significantly to Nigeria’s overall economic development.
She identified the state’s abundant natural gas reserves, coastline, seaports, fertile agricultural land, solid mineral resources, and numerous tertiary institutions as competitive advantages capable of driving industrialisation.
Commending the state’s fiscal management, she described Delta’s strong debt sustainability and fiscal performance as a solid foundation for long-term development but urged the government to maintain fiscal discipline.
“When I heard one of the speakers say you are not going to borrow from anyone, dead or alive, I was smiling. Keep the fiscal prudence because without it, you are not going to be able to build the Delta State we want,” the DG remarked.
She, however, cautioned that natural resources and budgetary allocations alone would not guarantee development, maintaining that execution, maintenance, and strategic prioritisation remain critical.
“Execution is what matters, and successful execution requires focus; it requires prioritisation,” she noted.
The former Nigerian Minister of Finance endorsed the state’s plan to develop Special Economic Zones, describing them as one of the most effective industrial policy tools for governments with limited fiscal resources.
She explained that such zones provide concentrated infrastructure, streamlined regulations, and essential services needed to attract manufacturers and investors.
Okonjo-Iweala urged the Delta State Government to work closely with the Federal Government to ensure reliable electricity, gas pipelines, roads, rail connectivity, water supply and digital infrastructure needed to support industrial parks.
Citing successful industrial parks in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, she encouraged Delta State officials to study best practices that could be replicated in the state.
Beyond industrial parks, the WTO Director-General advised the government to focus its resources on two or three high-potential value chains instead of spreading investments too thinly.
“It does not start just when you have the product. It starts even when you start to produce the product,” she stated, stressing the need to strengthen production, quality standards, financing, and market access across the entire value chain.
She also outlined the blue economy as another strategic growth area, urging the Delta State Government to invest in aquaculture, fisheries, marine logistics, ship repair, and port services.
Highlighting Nigeria’s annual fish import bill of about $866 million, she challenged the state to become the country’s blue economy hub by expanding domestic fish production and reducing dependence on imports.
According to her, sustainable fisheries management, rather than uncontrolled industrial trawling, should form the foundation of the state’s blue economy strategy.
Okonjo-Iweala further called for greater investment in the oil and gas value chain through improved pipeline connectivity to industrial zones, noting that reliable gas supply would support power generation, manufacturing, and mineral processing.
She equally highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, saying future trade and commerce would increasingly depend on digital connectivity.
“The world trade itself is going digital. Our young people are all on the internet. Our women are trading digitally, but they need the connectivity to make all of this work.”
The WTO Director-General expressed optimism about the state’s future, asserting that Delta stood at the convergence of three major opportunities, including the global shift towards diversified supply chains, African economic integration through AfCFTA, and the growing recognition that sub-national governments must drive economic transformation.
Quoting renowned author Ben Okri, she remarked: “Don’t neglect the gold in your own backyard.”
She added that Delta’s greatest asset was not its oil and gas resources but its people, expressing confidence that with sustained commitment and strategic investments, the state could transform into “a diversified, inclusive and resilient sub-national economy” and emerge as Nigeria’s next industrial hub.
