Marieé-Delphine.

I studied Nutrition and Dietetics at Babcock University, which is, perhaps, an unusual entry point for a career in trade and development finance. But the discipline matters less than the instinct behind it: a habit of asking what systems are made of, how they fail, and what it would take to make them work better. That instinct is what eventually pulled me toward economics.

My first real exposure to how institutions operate came through a posting with the Federal Capital Territory Administration in Abuja. It was an early education in public sector rhythms: the bureaucratic structures, the informal decision-making, the distance between policy language and operational reality. That gap between intent and implementation is something I now pay close attention to.

"Policy written in capitals does not always reach the ground. That distance is where the most important work happens."

My internship at World Trade Center Lagos was where that instinct became practice. Working within the WTCA global network, I spent time on trade intelligence, drafting institutional correspondence, and handling stakeholder engagements across African and international trade contexts. It was a great opportunity to see how organisations work together to facilitate trade, investment, and business growth.

I have continued building through the McKinsey Forward Programme and formal training with UNCTAD on the relationship between trade and climate commitments, two domains that are converging faster than most trade frameworks have caught up with.

I am investing serious time and intention into building the knowledge and experience to become a credible professional in international trade and development. The direction is clear, the work is ongoing.