Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has raised the alarm over poor human development indicators and alarming poverty rates in the Niger Delta, declaring that the region is in dire need of urgent economic regeneration.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stated this in a goodwill message delivered at the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday.
She called on the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines, and Agriculture to take a proactive lead in driving investment into the oil-rich region.
Citing official data from 2022, the WTO boss disclosed that only four states in the region made the list of Nigeria’s top 10 on the Human Development Index (HDI), a metric assessing education, healthcare, and general living standards.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that the situation of Niger Delta citizens is far from satisfactory as shown by available statistics,” Okonjo-Iweala said. “2022 information shows that only four of the Niger Delta states—Imo, Cross River, Abia, and Edo—are in the top 10 of the National Human Development Index, with only two in the top five. Life expectancy has also seen a downward trend, with Delta, Edo, and especially Rivers experiencing sharp drops.”
To reverse the trend, Okonjo-Iweala urged the private sector and organised commerce to collaborate with regional state governments to establish robust Special Economic Zones (SEZs). She noted that dedicated infrastructure, such as reliable power, water supply, digital connectivity, and streamlined regulatory desks, would create the backbone of a revitalised regional economy.
She further advised the region to look beyond traditional sectors by positioning itself within global supply chains, critical minerals extraction, and the digital economy, while leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to attract foreign manufacturing investments.
- Media Report