Delta Investment Summit: Okonjo-Iweala Urges Delta to Think Globally, Compete Boldly

Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has challenged Delta State to position itself as a global destination for skilled labour, manufacturing and investment by creating an environment where businesses can thrive and industries can compete internationally.

Delivering the keynote address at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026, themed “Harnessing Our Strengths, Unlocking Our Potentials,” Okonjo-Iweala said Delta possesses the natural resources, strategic location, infrastructure and human capital required to become Nigeria’s next major industrial hub.

She commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for unveiling a $100 million Viability Gap Fund to de-risk investments, describing the initiative as a practical step towards attracting private capital and ensuring investment commitments translate into real economic projects.

According to her, despite growing global trade uncertainties driven by geopolitical tensions, climate shocks and supply chain disruptions, new opportunities are emerging for economies prepared to diversify and integrate into global value chains.

She noted that the global shift towards supply chain diversification and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) present Delta State with a unique opportunity to attract industries seeking stable and competitive investment destinations.

“Delta State should aspire to become a global destination for skilled labour, manufacturing, and investment by creating an ecosystem where industries can thrive, talent can flourish, and businesses can compete internationally.”

Okonjo-Iweala urged the state government to prioritise investments in Special Economic Zones, industrial infrastructure, agriculture, the blue economy, oil and gas, digital technology and artificial intelligence, stressing that execution, not endowment would determine success.

She encouraged Delta to focus on a few strategic value chains where it enjoys comparative advantages instead of spreading resources across multiple sectors, while strengthening infrastructure, regulatory efficiency and energy supply to support industrial growth.

The WTO Director-General also called for closer collaboration between the Delta State Government and the Federal Government, noting that while the Federal Government provides macroeconomic stability, states must create the enabling environment that attracts businesses and generates employment.

She pointed to successful industrial zones such as the Lekki Free Zone and the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Benin Republic as models Delta State can learn from in building globally competitive Special Economic Zones.

Okonjo-Iweala concluded that Delta stands at a pivotal moment in its development journey and has the opportunity to transform itself into a diversified, competitive and resilient industrial economy capable of competing on the global stage.

“I am confident that Delta State can, and will transform itself from a resource-rich state into a diversified, competitive, resilient, and inclusive industrial economy that serves as a model for Nigeria and the wider African continent.”