Two Nigerians, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu, have been named among Forbes’ 100 World’s Most Powerful Women for 2025, reflecting their influence across global trade, governance and media.
The annual ranking, released on Wednesday, profiles women shaping policy, business and culture internationally.
Okonjo-Iweala, positioned at 92, is the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the first African and first woman to hold the office since March 2021. Forbes highlights her over 30 years of experience in economic development across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America. She previously served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister and briefly as Foreign Affairs Minister, and chaired the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has immunised more than 760 million children globally.
In 2010, she oversaw the World Bank’s successful fundraising campaign, which resulted in $49.3 billion in grants and low-interest loans for the world’s poorest countries. Following her ministerial stint, she remained active worldwide, heading organisations such as Gavi and the Vaccine Alliance (2016-2020), co-chairing the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, and participating in pandemic and climate-related international activities.
Her leadership has earned her a second term as WTO Director-General: she was overwhelmingly reappointed by member states in late 2024, demonstrating widespread trust in her leadership.
Okonjo-Iweala said she continues to see trade as a tool for lifting developing countries out of poverty and fostering sustainable growth. Her leadership was reaffirmed in late 2024 when WTO member states overwhelmingly reappointed her for a second term.
Mo Abudu, ranked 98th, is a media executive and philanthropist, founder of EbonyLife Media.
She launched EbonyLife TV in 2006, now broadcasting in over 49 countries, and secured strategic partnerships with Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks and Netflix, marking the first African multi-title deal with the streaming platform. In 2025, EbonyLife expanded its digital footprint with the launch of EbonyLife ON Plus, a streaming app accessible on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Abudu, who spent part of her upbringing in Nigeria, continues to influence global media narratives and cultural representation.
In 2025, she was named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” for her revolutionary influence in elevating African tales and inspiring creatives throughout the continent and diaspora.
Forbes notes that the 2025 list emphasises the growing role of women in technology, politics and entertainment.
African figures, including Mary Vilakazi, CEO of South Africa’s FirstRand Group; Judith Suminwa Tuluka, Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first female Prime Minister; Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah; and Mpumi Madisa, CEO of Bidvest, also feature prominently.
The ranking coincides with broader concerns about declining female employment opportunities in several regions, including the United States, highlighting the continued significance of female leadership in driving innovation, economic development and cultural influence.
For Okonjo-Iweala and Abudu, the Forbes recognition reflects both personal achievement and Nigeria’s growing presence on the global stage in trade, policy and media.
