By Anne Azuka
Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged Delta State to position itself as a leading destination for investment, manufacturing and skilled labour by creating an enabling environment for businesses to compete globally.
Speaking on Monday at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Asaba, themed “Harnessing Our Strengths, Unlocking Our Potentials,” Okonjo-Iweala said the state has the natural resources, strategic location, infrastructure and human capital needed to become a major industrial hub in Nigeria. She commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for unveiling a $100 million Viability Gap Fund, describing it as a practical initiative to reduce investment risks and attract private capital.
Okonjo-Iweala noted that while global trade faces challenges from geopolitical tensions, climate change and supply chain disruptions, opportunities remain for economies that diversify and integrate into global value chains.
Also addressing the summit, Kenyan scholar and Pan-Africanist Prof. Patrick Lumumba called on the Federal Government to remove visa restrictions for Africans, saying freer movement would strengthen regional integration, trade and investment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Lumumba urged African countries to invest more in local talent, innovation and capital, while encouraging Delta State to emulate Norway’s long-term management of petroleum revenues. He also advocated greater investment in agriculture, solid minerals, energy, pharmaceuticals, the blue economy, research and innovation to drive sustainable economic growth.
