WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says Nigeria lacks a strong maintenance culture, arguing that this contributes to weaker infrastructure outcomes and slower economic development. Speaking on Monday at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Asaba, she links infrastructure performance to more than initial funding. She says endowments and budget allocations alone do not automatically produce new roads or sustained improvements, and that execution and prioritisation are central to results. Okonjo-Iweala also calls for better ports and digital infrastructure, alongside lower trade costs, as part of improving trade and development prospects. Her comments are presented as a call for stronger follow-through on existing investments through sustained maintenance practices. Across the reports, there is agreement on her core message: Nigeria’s maintenance approach is insufficient, and improving it is necessary to ensure that infrastructure and public spending translate into tangible and durable development gains.