By Erewunmi Peace

At the ongoing 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, met with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss strategic trade opportunities and commend Nigeria’s latest international milestone.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala congratulated Nigeria on its successful bid to implement the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund—a newly launched initiative by the WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC). The fund is designed to support women-led businesses in developing countries by increasing their participation in global digital trade.

In a post shared via her official X (formerly Twitter) account, she stated:

“Catching up with H.E. President Tinubu at the BRICS Summit in Rio—talking about Nigeria’s successful bid for the @WTO-@ITCnews WEIDE Fund for women exporters in the digital economy. Congratulations Nigeria!”

The meeting underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in international trade discussions and affirms the country’s commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs through innovation and digital commerce.

The WEIDE Fund is expected to drive financial and technical support for Nigerian women exporting digital products and services, a move that aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for economic growth and inclusion.

Nigeria at BRICS

President Tinubu’s presence at the BRICS Summit signals deeper engagement with emerging global powers, as Nigeria positions itself as a key voice in shaping policies that affect the Global South. His meeting with the WTO chief also reflects Nigeria’s broader ambition to strengthen trade relationships and attract development partnerships.

What to Expect

As Nigeria leads implementation of the WEIDE Fund, stakeholders anticipate fresh momentum for digital transformation in the MSME sector—especially for women-led startups. Industry watchers say the program could open new trade corridors for Nigerian innovators and boost the nation’s GDP.