Nigeria's Central Bank and WTO Chief Highlight Economic Resilience at Africa Emerging Markets Forum

Governor Olayemi Cardoso of the Central Bank of Nigeria and WTO Director‑General Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala will lead a high‑level fireside dialogue at the 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum in Abuja on 29‑30 July 2026. Hosted by the CBN with the Emerging Markets Forum and the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa, the event is themed “Building Resilience Amidst Geoeconomic Uncertainties” and will bring together senior policymakers, central bankers, ministers, development partners and private‑sector leaders to discuss how African economies can sustain reform, deepen regional integration and unlock long‑term growth amid a fragmented global economy.

Okonjo‑Iweala also reflected on Nigeria’s successful $30 billion Paris Club debt relief achieved during the Obasanjo administration, crediting a targeted communications strategy led by public‑affairs expert Paul Nwabuikwu. She emphasized that persuading citizens and building trust were essential to implementing tough economic reforms, and warned that enduring ethnic, religious and regional divisions continue to hinder national development. Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Kingsley Udeh are also slated to deliver keynote addresses, underscoring coordinated fiscal, monetary and innovation policies for the continent’s transformation.