Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been announced as the recipient of the 2020 Forbes Africa Person of the Year  award.

“The 2020 #AfricanOftheYear Award honoree is…Congratulations to Dr. @NOlweala! Board Chair @Gavi; Board Chair @ARCapicity, gracing the cover of @forbesafrica,” the world’s leading voice for entrepreneurial success and free enterprise tweeted on Tuesday.

Reacting to the development, the soon to be first African and first female Director-General of World Trade Union in its 25-years history, Okonjo-Iweala, said she is delighted by the prestigious award.

She tweeted, “Thrilled to be named Forbes Africa-CNBC ‘2020 African of the Year’ following in the footsteps of my great brothers Paul Kagame and Akin Adesina.”

Other Nigerians who have bagged the award in the past include President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina; Ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammad Sanusi II; President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; amongst others.

“This award is for fellow Africans suffering the health and economic impact of #Covid19. The energy and resilience of Africans inspire me!” she wrote.

The former World Bank director had been selected consensus candidate by the WTO Selection Committee for the role of director general, a move which was however, opposed by the Donald Trump administration which preferred South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee for the job.

The WTO had disclosed that during the selection process, majority of its members had indicated, “strong preference for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as DG.”

The Geneva-based organisation had in a statement quoted Walker to have said: “She (Okonjo-Iweala) clearly carried the largest support by members in the final round and she clearly enjoyed broad support from members from all levels of development and all geographic regions and has done so throughout the process.”

The selection committee is expected to meet this month in Switzerland to pick a choice between Okonjo-Iweala and Myung-hee.