Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women

Published 4 years ago
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This is a first-of-its-kind Pan-African unranked compilation of the continent’s leading women, drawn from business, politics, media, science, sports and public life, who are challenging the status quo and creating a trail on terrain where there was none. They are reshaping history, closing inequalities and pioneering new avenues of wealth creation and in turn, lifting others with them.

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NAME COUNTRYTITLE SECTOR
GRACA MACHELSOUTH AFRICAFOUNDER, GRACA MACHEL TRUSTSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
CLARE AKAMANZIRWANDACEO, RWANDA DEVELOPMENT BOARDSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT/GOVERNANCE
FOLORUNSO ALAKIJA NIGERIA EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR, FAMFA OIL OIL SECTOR
JENNIFER RIRIAKENYA GROUP CEO, ECHO NETWORK AFRICA (ENA); FOUNDING MEMBER, KENYA WOMEN FINANCE TRUSTFINANCE
LOUISE MUSHIKIWABORWANDA SECRETARY GENERAL, ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE LA FRANCOPHONIE (OIF)
AYA CHEBBITUNISIABLOGGER AND AFRICA UNION YOUTH ENVOY MEDIA
ELSIE KANZA TANZANIA HEAD OF AFRICA AND MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM FINANCE
IBUKUN AWOSIKANIGERIAFOUNDER AND CEO, THE CHAIR CENTRE GROUP MANUFACTURING
DR JUDY DLAMINISOUTH AFRICAFOUNDER, MBEKANI GROUPSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARLIZE THERONSOUTH AFRICAHOLLYWOOD ACTRESSENTERTAINMENT
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIENIGERIAAUTHOR, PUBLIC SPEAKER PUBLISHING
PHUTI MAHANYELE-DABENGWASOUTH AFRICA CEO, NASPERS SOUTH AFRICA TECHNOLOGY
OBIAGELI ‘OBY’ EZEKWESILINIGERIASENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR, AFRICA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY INITIATIVE (AEDPI) SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
GLENDA GRAYSOUTH AFRICAPRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (SAMRC) HEALTHCARE
THULI MADONSELASOUTH AFRICALAW TRUST CHAIR, SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY LAW
WENDY LUHABESOUTH AFRICASOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & CO-FOUNDER, WIPHOLD FINANCE
ANGÉLIQUE KIDJOBENIN FOUR-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER ENTERTAINMENT
MANAL ROSTOMEGYPTFOUNDER, SURVIVING HIJAB AND FACE OF NIKE PRO HIJAB HEALTH AND FITNESS
LYDIA NSEKERA BURUNDIPRESIDENT, NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (NOC) OF BURUNDI AND MEMBER OF FIFA COUNCIL SPORT/GOVERNANCE
WINNIE BYANYIMAUGANDAEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNAIDS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALANIGERIACHAIR, BOARD OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR VACCINES AND IMMUNISATION (GAVI) HEALTHCARE
PHUMZILE MLAMBO-NGCUKASOUTH AFRICAEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED NATIONS (UN) WOMEN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
WARIS DIRIE SOMALIAPRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DESERT FLOWER FOUNDATION SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAFLIBERIA FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA, NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE GOVERNANCE
YVONNE CHAKA CHAKASOUTH AFRICAAWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN ENTERTAINMENT
SAHLE-WORK ZEWDEETHIOPIAPRESIDENT OF ETHIOPIAGOVERNANCE
MAMOKGETHI (KGETHI) PHAKENGSOUTH AFRICA VICE-CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN (UCT) EDUCATION
REBECCA ENONCHONGCAMEROONFOUNDER & CEO, APPSTECH TECHNOLOGY
BONANG MATHEBA SOUTH AFRICAMEDIA PERSONALITY, ENTREPRENEUR ENTERTAINMENT
FATMA SAMOURASENEGALSECRETARY-GENERAL, FIFASPORT
IRENE CHARNLEY SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER, SMILE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
UCHENNA ‘UCHE’ PEDRONIGERIAFOUNDER AND CEO, BELLANAIJA MEDIA
ILWAD ELMANSOMALIAFOUNDER, ELMAN PEACE CENTRE ACTIVISM
WENDY APPELBAUM SOUTH AFRICA FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, DE MORGENZON WINE ESTATE ENTREPRENEUR
OLAJUMOKE ADENOWONIGERIA FOUNDER, AD CONSULTING ADVERTISING
BETHLEHEM TILAHUN ALEMUETHIOPIAFOUNDER AND CEO, SOLEREBELS FOOTWEAR, GARDEN OF COFFEE, TEFFTASTIC ENTREPRENEUR
NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA SOUTH AFRICA MINISTER OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, SOUTH AFRICA GOVERNANCE
WENDY ACKERMANSOUTH AFRICAEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PICK ‘N PAY RETAIL
CASTER SEMENYASOUTH AFRICA OLYMPIC CHAMPION SPORT
RAWYA MANSOUREGYPTFOUNDER AND CEO, RAMSCOAGRICULTURE
ARUNMA OTEHNIGERIAACADEMIC SCHOLAR, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD FORMER TREASURER AND VICE PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE AFRICA ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER FINANCE
FATOU BENSOUDAGAMBIAPROSECUTOR, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)LAW
HAJER SHARIEFLIBYAHUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE ACTIVISM
AMINA J. MOHAMMEDNIGERIADEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRECIOUS MOTSEPE SOUTH AFRICAFOUNDER, AFRICAN FASHION INTERNATIONAL FASHION
LUPITA NYONG’OKENYAOSCAR-WINNING ACTORENTERTAINMENT
VERA SONGWE CAMEROONEXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MAGDA WIERZYCKASOUTH AFRICAFOUNDER, SYGNIA FINANCE
TARA FELA-DUROTOYE NIGERIAFOUNDER, HOUSE OF TARA INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY
THERESA KACHINDAMOTOMALAWICHIEF OF DEDZA DISTRICTSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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-Mashokane Mahlo