Okonjo-Iweala To Deliver Pre-Convocation Lecture At ABU

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will deliver the Pre-Convocation Lecture at the 45th Convocation Ceremony of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the university authorities have announced.

The lecture, scheduled for Friday, January 30, 2026, will be chaired by Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Okonjo-Iweala, a former two-time Minister of Finance, is expected to speak at the Abdullahi Mahadi Conference Centre, ABU Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria, as part of activities lined up for the convocation.

In a notification and invitation issued ahead of the event, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, said preparations were in advanced stages to ensure a successful convocation ceremony.

“Arrangements for the 45th Convocation Ceremony of Ahmadu Bello University are in advanced stages, and the university is fully prepared to host distinguished personalities from within and outside the country,” Ahmed said.

Okonjo-Iweala served as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance between 2003 and 2006 and again from 2011 to 2015. She also briefly served as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2006, becoming the first woman to hold both positions.

During her first tenure as finance minister, she spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club that led to the historic debt relief deal for Nigeria, which saw about $30bn of the country’s external debt wiped out, including the outright cancellation of $18bn.

The Vice-Chancellor described her selection as Pre-Convocation Lecturer as a reflection of the university’s commitment to academic excellence and global relevance.

“Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s distinguished career in public service and international economic governance makes her eminently qualified to deliver this year’s Pre-Convocation Lecture,” Ahmed stated.

The convocation ceremony proper will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Mamman Kontagora Square, ABU Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria.

The Chancellor of the university, the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, is expected to attend the lecture and convocation. Also expected is the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli.

Visiting vice-chancellors from public and private universities across the country are also expected at the events, alongside captains of industry, seasoned bankers and technocrats.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the convocation will not only celebrate graduating students but also provide an opportunity for intellectual engagement and reflection on national and global economic issues.

“The Pre-Convocation Lecture remains a key intellectual component of our convocation activities and offers the university community and the public an opportunity to engage with thought leaders of global standing,” Ahmed added. ENDS.