Okonjo-Iweala: I’m back on my toes

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance, who just got two international jobs, says she is back on her toes.

Okonjo-Iweala said having spent greater part of her career in the public sector, she is excited to have an opportunity in the private sector.

She explained that her decision to accept both offers was in order to give back to the society, extending appreciation to all those who have supported her.

She was speaking in an interview with Ventures Africa.

“I think the shift to the private sector is very good for me and at the same time good for Lazard in the sense that Lazard is the premier company in the world for sovereign advisory,” she said.

“Working with GAVI is a privilege. It will enable me to continue to give back, and then you couple that with the private sector. So I think that public-private thing is perfect to keep me on my toes.

“At GAVI, we will be helping government in restructuring their finances, in restructuring their debts, in managing their macroeconomic framework.

“These are areas in which I’ve developed expertise over 33 years of my career, so it will be shifting that knowledge into advising government — though it is from a private sector perspective. But it will also be good because it will bring a different eye and a different methodology to the way that I’ve been working. I will learn, and the company will learn also.

“I’m very grateful for the support of Nigerians and the international community. I’m excited about the new appointments. Nigerians have supported me by and large and it has been a wonderful feeling.

“The international community has also shown their support through these appointments, so I’m very grateful. I’m happy. I’m humbled, and I look forward to embarking on the next exciting chapter of my life.”