Director of the International Center for Regional Integration and Trade Research (ICRITR) at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ngozi Eunice Egbuna, has been appointed the first ever World Trade Organization (WTO) Chair for Nigeria.
Prof. Egbuna is among the newest Chairs inducted into the WTO network, following Nigeria’s recent inclusion in the prestigious programme. Her tenure is for 4 years, starting 2025.
In that capacity, her core mandate is to amplify the voice of Nigerian and African academia within the multilateral trade system, reinforcing the mission of the Center she leads – which is advancing regional integration and trade research across Africa.
As part of her duties, Prof Egbuna represented Nigeria at the recent WTO Chairs Programme Annual Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland.
The three-day event, which commenced on July 2, 2025, brought together leading academics from around the globe to engage on trade-related issues in preparation for the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14), scheduled for March 2026.
During the conference, she joined other scholars in conversations centered around digital trade, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), trade finance, green trade, and dispute settlement – topics vital to shaping inclusive trade policies for developing nations.
Prof. Egbuna’s appointment into the WTO Chairs Programme is believed to be in recognition of her contributions toward bridging the gap between academic insight and real-world trade policy, and to position Nigeria as a proactive contributor to global trade reform and economic development.
Prior to her current roles, Prof Egbuna served as Director General of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) in Accra, Ghana, on secondment from the Central Bank of Nigeria where she was Director at the Monetary Policy Department.
The International Center which she heads is housed at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and plays a critical role in policy development, capacity building, and academic innovation to support continental trade progress.
It recently commenced postgraduate degree and certificate programs in international trade and related subjects for students across the West African subregion.
The Center is also expected to host a conference of WTO’s Nigerian and West African stakeholders under the Chairs Program, starting August 13, 2025.
Nigeria’s Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala heads the global body. She was first appointed as WTO Director-General on February 15, 2021, and assumed office on March 1, 2021. She is the first woman and the first African to hold that position.
