Director-General of the World Trade Organisation Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said Nigeria’s poor maintenance culture was reducing the value of infrastructure and slowing economic progress. She made the remark on Monday while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Delta State Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba.
The summit carried the theme “Harnessing Our Strengths, Unlocking Our Potentials.” Okonjo-Iweala told the gathering that natural resources and budget funds alone could not drive real growth. She stressed that proper upkeep of existing assets remained essential.
Okonjo-Iweala explained the gap between spending and lasting outcomes. “The fact is that endowments alone do not add value. Budgetary allocations alone do not lead to new roads or good maintenance,” she said. She added that Nigeria still lacked a strong culture of care for public facilities.
She noted that governments needed to protect what they already built. Only then, she said, could the country gain full economic returns from its investments. She called for better ports, stronger digital networks and lower trade costs to improve competitiveness.
Okonjo-Iweala linked progress to careful planning. “We need better ports and digital infrastructure, and lower trade costs. Execution is what matters, and successful execution requires focus. It requires prioritisation,” she stated. She also pointed to the need for stable exchange rates and controlled inflation at the national level.
The three-day summit drew investors, policymakers and business leaders from Nigeria and abroad. Vice President Kashim Shettima opened the event on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
Okonjo-Iweala urged Delta State to channel public funds into productive projects and develop special economic zones. She said the state could become a major growth centre if it combined resources with disciplined maintenance.
