Two Nigerians — Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and media executive Mo Abudu — have been listed among Forbes’ 100 World’s Most Powerful Women for 2025. The ranking, released on Wednesday, Dec. 10, spotlights women shaping global policy, business, and culture.
Okonjo-Iweala, placed at No. 92, continues to command international respect as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), where she became the first African and first woman to lead the body in 2021. Forbes highlighted her more than three decades of work in economic development across multiple continents, her two-time tenure as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, and her global impact through roles such as chairing the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Her achievements include helping secure $49.3 billion in grants and low-interest loans for developing countries during the 2010 World Bank fundraising round. She has remained a key global figure in economic, climate, and pandemic-response policy. In recognition of her leadership, WTO member states overwhelmingly renewed her mandate for a second term in 2024.
Also featured on the list, at No. 98, is Mo Abudu, founder of EbonyLife Media and one of Africa’s most influential storytellers. Abudu has built a thriving media empire with international partnerships, placing African narratives on the global stage while driving philanthropic initiatives focused on youth empowerment and creative industry development.