The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has recounted how an investigation into an alleged $2.4 billion fuel subsidy fraud led to threats against her and the kidnapping of her mother in 2012.
Okonjo-Iweala said her mother’s abductors demanded that she resign as Nigeria’s finance minister and leave the country in exchange for her release.
She disclosed this during an interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua on the Leaders programme.
According to her, the investigation began after officials noticed a sharp increase in claims submitted by fuel importers under Nigeria’s petrol subsidy programme.
At the time, Nigeria relied on imported refined petroleum products to meet domestic demand. Under the subsidy arrangement, importers received government payments that enabled them to sell petrol at regulated prices.
However, the rising claims raised suspicions, prompting Okonjo-Iweala to seek approval from the then President to audit the accounts.
“So I went to the president and said, look, something is going on here. Could we audit the accounts? And he said, yes, go ahead. And we found about $2.4 billion worth of fraud. So we refused to pay,” she said.
Mother’s Kidnap Lasted Five Days
Okonjo-Iweala said threats against her followed the decision to withhold the disputed payments, before her mother was abducted.
“I was told that for her to be released, I should resign and leave the country,” she said
She described the five-day ordeal as one of the most painful experiences of her life, saying she feared her actions could cost her mother her life.
Her mother, Kamene Okonjo, was held in a forest before escaping one night, according to the WTO chief.
“She was held in the middle of a forest, and one night she escaped. She’s still alive. She’s 96 now,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala added that her mother still becomes distressed whenever the incident is discussed.
Asked whether she had considered resigning during the crisis, she said she would have prioritised her mother’s life over remaining in office.
“Between my mother, having my mother alive and staying in a job, I would pick my mother any day,” she said.
However, she recalled that her father urged her not to give in to the kidnappers’ demands.
“He said, we don’t give in to blackmail. And he said, you’ve got to carry on. You’ve got to go to work,” she recounted.
The former minister said she initially felt paralysed by fear and considered resigning to secure her mother’s release. She added that the experience left her with a sense of guilt that she still carries.
‘Every Single Penny Counts’
Okonjo-Iweala said her experiences over the years had made her more patient and strengthened her determination to find solutions in difficult situations.
She also stressed the importance of tackling corruption, particularly in countries with limited resources.
“I feel that this is a real fight that has to be waged. If you are a country that is not that rich, every single penny counts,” she said.
Okonjo-Iweala served as Nigeria’s finance minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan before becoming WTO director-general in March 2021.
Her mother was kidnapped from her home in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, in December 2012. The incident attracted national attention amid concerns about the safety of the finance minister’s family.
