Two influential Nigerian women — Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu — have been listed among Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women in the World for 2025.
The annual ranking, released on Wednesday, Dec. 10, honours women shaping global policy, business and culture.
Okonjo-Iweala, ranked 92nd, is the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the first African and first woman to hold the position since March 2021. Forbes highlights her over three decades of experience in economic development across multiple continents. She previously served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, briefly as Foreign Affairs Minister, and chaired the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, helping immunise more than 760 million children.
She also led the World Bank’s landmark 2010 fundraising campaign that secured $49.3 billion in grants and low-interest loans for the world’s poorest countries. After her ministerial roles, she continued global service through leadership positions in climate, economy, and health-focused organisations. In late 2024, she was overwhelmingly reappointed for a second term as WTO DG.
Media mogul Mo Abudu, founder of EbonyLife Media, is ranked 98th. Forbes notes her impact in entertainment, storytelling, and global representation, as well as her growing influence as a media entrepreneur and philanthropist.
The 2025 list also highlights other prominent African women, including Mary Vilakazi (CEO, FirstRand Group), Judith Suminwa Tuluka (DRC’s first female Prime Minister), Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (President of Namibia), and Mpumi Madisa (CEO, Bidvest).
