Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Quotes & Sayings

“When it comes to doing my job, I keep my ego in my handbag.”

“When I became finance minister, they called me Okonjo-Wahala - or 'Trouble Woman.' It means 'I give you hell.' But I don't care what names they call me. I'm a fighter; I'm very focused on what I'm doing, and relentless in what I want to achieve, almost to a fault. If you get in my way, you get kicked.”

“Nigeria, with the oil sector, had the reputation of being corrupt and not managing its own public finances well. So what did we try to do? We introduced a fiscal rule that de-linked our budget from the oil price.”

“I felt Nigeria didn't have to succumb to the image of being a corrupt country; we didn't have to let the economy stagnate.”

“I believe that when you find problems, you should also find solutions.”

“If we save people from HIV/AIDS, if we save them from malaria, it means they can form the base of production for our economy.”

“Educating our young girls is the foundation for Nigeria's growth and development.”

“I can take hardship. I can sleep on the cold floor anytime. I can also sleep on a feather bed.”

“I'm told I'm like my father, and he was the most wonderful man. But I think he was gentler than me.”

“No one can fight corruption for Nigerians except Nigerians. Everyone has to be committed from the top to the bottom to fight it.”