Okonjo-Iweala named one of Time's 100 most influential people

American news magazine, Time, has named Nigeria's former minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was named alongside world leaders like United States President, Joe Biden, and Chinese President, Xi Jinping, in Time's September 15 publication.

She tweeted moments after the publication that she was 'honored and privileged' to have made the cover of the magazine.

In an appraisal penned by Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they applauded her role in campaigning for equitable vaccine access across the world.

The Archewell founders noted that the world's hope to defeat COVID-19 through vaccines rests on the shoulders of leaders like Okonjo-Iweala.

"Our conversations with her have been as informative as they are energising.

"This is partly because, despite the challenges, she knows how to get things done—even between those who don't always agree—and does so with grace and a smile that warms the coldest of rooms," the Duke and Duchess wrote.

Okonjo-Iweala made history in March when she officially started her tenure as the WTO DG, the first woman and first African to do so.

"Vaccine inequity is the most important issue to tackle right now in this pandemic because it determines how we're going to recover globally, and how many lives we save.

"With the variants that are mutating and the number of people dying, it is unacceptable that when you have the technology to save lives, some people don't have access," the 67-year-old told Time.

Wednesday's list also had names of leaders like U.S. vice president, Kamala Harris, Indian president, Narendra Modi, as well as influential figures like Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Dolly Parton, and the Duke and Duchess themselves.

The list of influential figures cut across icons, pioneers, titans, artists, leaders, and innovators.