- Forbes list 2025 features Nigerian leaders Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu for their global impact.
- Okonjo-Iweala recognised for steering global trade and driving economic reforms worldwide.
- Mo Abudu honoured for reshaping global entertainment and amplifying African storytelling.
- Forbes says the 2025 Most Powerful Women list highlights rising influence in governance, media and technology.
Forbes has once again shone its global spotlight on Nigerian excellence, naming Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu among the 100 World’s Most Powerful Women for 2025. The list, released on Wednesday, recognises women whose influence continues to shape policy, business, technology, and culture.
Okonjo-Iweala ranks 92nd, reaffirming her position as one of the most respected figures in global trade. As Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the first African and first woman to lead it, she has spent over three decades designing economic development strategies across multiple continents. Her work spans Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America, making her one of the world’s most experienced reformers.
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Her track record includes two tenures as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, a brief stint as Foreign Affairs Minister, and leadership roles in global organisations. At Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, she helped drive immunisation efforts that reached more than 760 million children. She also oversaw the World Bank’s landmark 2010 fundraising campaign, securing $49.3 billion in grants and low-interest loans for the world’s poorest countries.
Okonjo-Iweala’s impact earned her a second term at the WTO after member states overwhelmingly endorsed her leadership in late 2024. Speaking on her mission, she said trade must remain “a tool for lifting developing nations out of poverty and opening doors to sustainable growth.”
At number 98 is Mo Abudu, celebrated globally for her transformational impact on African storytelling. As the founder of EbonyLife Media, Abudu has built a media powerhouse that broadcasts in more than 49 countries and collaborates with giants such as Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks and Netflix, the latter partnership marking the first African multi-title deal with the streaming platform.
In 2025, Abudu expanded EbonyLife’s digital presence with the launch of EbonyLife ON Plus, a streaming platform accessible on major app stores. Her recognition by TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” further cemented her status as a cultural architect inspiring African creatives and reshaping representation in global entertainment.
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The Forbes 2025 list also highlights influential African women including Mary Vilakazi, CEO of South Africa’s FirstRand Group; Judith Suminwa Tuluka, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first female Prime Minister; Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah; and Mpumi Madisa, CEO of Bidvest.
This year’s ranking comes at a time when female employment opportunities are shrinking in several regions, including the United States. Forbes notes that the achievements of women like Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu show why strong female leadership remains vital to global progress in economics, technology, and culture.
For Nigeria, their appearance on the list reflects not only individual achievement but also the country’s rising global footprint in policy, trade and media.
