Two distinguished Nigerians, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and media mogul Mo Abudu, have been named among Forbes’ 2025 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, reaffirming their growing global influence in governance, trade, and media.
The annual ranking, released Wednesday on Forbes’ website, highlights women shaping major decisions across business, politics, culture and international leadership.
Okonjo-Iweala and Abudu appear alongside top global figures such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (No. 1), European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde (No. 2), Japan’s first female prime minister Sanae Takaichi (No. 3), Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum (No. 5), and Namibia’s Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (No. 79).
Okonjo-Iweala, ranked No. 92, currently leads the World Trade Organization, becoming both the first woman and the first African to head the global trade body since her appointment in March 2021.
Forbes describes her as an “economist and international development professional” with more than three decades of experience spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America.
Prior to joining the WTO, she served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003–2006 and 2011–2015), briefly held the position of Foreign Affairs Minister in 2006, and chaired the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has vaccinated over 760 million children worldwide.
A Harvard graduate with a PhD from MIT, the 71-year-old mother of four is widely recognized for promoting global trade as a tool for poverty reduction and sustainable growth.
Mo Abudu, listed at No. 98, is celebrated for her achievements as a media entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of EbonyLife Media. Since launching EbonyLife TV in 2006, the network has expanded to more than 49 countries, including regions in the UK and the Caribbean.
Forbes credits her for securing high-profile partnerships with Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks and Netflix, making EbonyLife the first African studio to sign a multi-title deal with the streaming platform.
In November 2025, EbonyLife strengthened its digital reach with the launch of its streaming service, EbonyLife ON Plus, now available on major app stores. Born in London and raised partly in Nigeria, Abudu is described by Forbes as “one of the most influential women in global media.”
The 2025 ranking also underscores the increasing dominance of women in technology and artificial intelligence, with notable entries such as AMD CEO Lisa Su (No. 10), Alphabet President and CIO Ruth Porat (No. 12), Nvidia’s Colette Kress (No. 37), Meta CFO Susan Li (No. 41), and Microsoft’s Amy Hood (No. 16).
Other key figures include Anthropic president and co-founder Daniela Amodei (No. 73), now a self-made billionaire, and OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar (No. 50).
In entertainment, reality TV star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian (No. 71) made the list after raising $225 million for her shapewear brand Skims at a $5 billion valuation and launching the NikeSKIMS line.
Forbes also recognized the women behind Netflix’s hit film KPop Demon Hunters (No. 100), who continue to maintain a strong global fanbase.
