Two prominent Nigerian women, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu have again placed Nigeria on the global map after being named among Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women in the World for 2025.
The annual list, released on Wednesday, celebrates women who shape global business, politics, culture, and leadership. This year, Okonjo-Iweala and Abudu stand shoulder-to-shoulder with influential figures such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (No. 1), and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde (No. 2). Also featured are Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Namibia’s Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Ranked 92nd, Okonjo-Iweala continues to break barriers as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, the first woman and first African ever to lead the body. Forbes praised her as a seasoned economist and development expert with more than 30 years of experience across multiple continents.
The former Nigerian finance minister, who served two terms and briefly acted as foreign minister is also credited for her time as chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has helped vaccinate over 760 million children worldwide.
A graduate of Harvard University with a PhD from MIT, Okonjo-Iweala is celebrated for her strong advocacy that global trade can lift developing nations out of poverty and foster sustainable growth.
Serial entrepreneur and media mogul Mo Abudu secured the 98th spot on the list. As founder of EbonyLife Media, she has established one of Africa’s most influential entertainment brands.
Since launching EbonyLife TV in 2006, Abudu has expanded her media footprint to more than 49 countries, including the UK and Caribbean. Forbes highlighted her groundbreaking partnership deals with Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks, and Netflix. EbonyLife became the first African media company to sign a multi-title deal with Netflix, a major milestone for African storytelling.
In November 2025, Abudu introduced EbonyLife ON Plus, a new digital streaming platform now available on both Android and iOS.
Born in London but raised partly in Nigeria, Abudu has long been recognised as one of the most influential voices in global media.
This year’s ranking also reflects the increasing influence of women in technology and artificial intelligence. Key figures include:
Lisa Su, CEO, AMD (No. 10)
Ruth Porat, President & CIO, Alphabet (No. 12)
Colette Kress, Nvidia (No. 37)
Susan Li, Meta (No. 41)
Amy Hood, Microsoft (No. 16)
Other notable entrants include Daniela Amodei (No. 73), co-founder and president of AI company Anthropic, now a self-made billionaire, and Sarah Friar (No. 50), CFO of OpenAI.
In entertainment, Kim Kardashian earned the 71st spot after raising $225m for her brand Skims, valued at $5 billion, and unveiling the new NikeSKIMS collaboration.
Forbes also spotlighted the global star power of the cast of KPop Demon Hunters, placing them collectively at No. 100.
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