Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as being in “the right direction.

She, however, stressed that the next crucial step must be driving growth and cushioning hardship for Nigerians.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with the President in Abuja on Thursday, Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged the government’s efforts to stabilise the economy, saying this was a necessary foundation for future improvement.

“We think that the President and his team have worked hard to stabilise the economy,” she said.

“You cannot really improve an economy unless it is stable. So he has to be given the credit for the stability of the economy,” she added.

While welcoming the reforms, the WTO chief emphasised that stability alone was not enough.

“The reforms have been in the right direction,” she noted.

“What is needed next is growth. We now need to grow the economy and put in place social safety nets so that people who are feeling the pinch of the reforms can also have some support to be able to weather the hardship,” she said.

Okonjo-Iweala explained that she discussed with the President the importance of balancing reform with relief measures for vulnerable citizens.

“The next step is: how do we build social safety nets to help Nigerians cushion the hardship they are feeling, and then how do we grow the economy so we can put out more jobs and more money in people’s pockets?” She asked.

She underscored that both job creation and increased disposable income were vital for ensuring that the benefits of reform reach ordinary Nigerians.

“These are issues we discussed with Mr. President,” she concluded.