Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization, Nigeria
In March 2021, she made history by becoming the first African woman to lead the World Trade Organization (WTO). Her academic journey took her from Nigeria to Harvard and MIT, culminating in a Ph.D. in Economics and Development.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala's extensive career includes positions at the World Bank as well as Finance Minister and Foreign Minister of Nigeria. Aside from leading the WTO, she serves on the boards of influential organizations such as Standard Chartered Bank, Danone, and Twitter. Her pioneering leadership in global sectors distinguishes her as a true symbol of African excellence.
2. Juliet Ehimuan , Country Director, Google, Nigeria
Dr Juliet Ehimuan is a Nigerian business leader, technology executive, and social entrepreneur.
Google's business strategy in West Africa is overseen by Juliet Ehimuan. She has worked in the technology, oil and gas, and new media sectors throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for more than 25 years. She is on the board of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and is a fellow of the Cambridge University Society.
In addition, she founded the leadership and organizational capacity-building program Beyond Limits Africa. She is the author of the self-leadership and personal success manual 30 Days of Excellence.
3. Dr Victoria Kisyombe, Founder and CEO, Selfina, Tanzania
Dr. Victoria Kisyombe, a Tanzanian pioneer in microfinance, is well-known throughout the world for her efforts to raise the standard of living for her fellow citizens. Her business, Selfina, offers micro leasing.
She developed a strategy to assist women into formal lending markets without collateral, providing facilities to widows and young girls. Selfina has helped over 250,000 individuals, produced 150,000 jobs, and given 27,500 leases to women to date.
Kisyombe is directly boosting the Tanzanian economy through Selfine, giving women more access to capital and opportunities to establish respectable and sustainable businesses. The World Bank, the International Alliance for Women, and the Vital Voices Global Partnership have all acknowledged her efforts.
4. Dr Agnes Kalibata, President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Policymaker and Agricultural Scientist , Rwanda
This esteemed agricultural scientist, policy-maker, and thought leader hails from Rwanda, she has a passion to promote gender parity and women's empowerment, specifically in the realm of politics.
Since 2014, Dr. Agnes Kalibata has presided over the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), which aims to ensure a prosperous and food-secure continent. Throughout her career, Kalibata has devoted herself to ensuring food security across Africa.
For her leadership in organizing farmers' contributions to the Food Systems Summit, she was honored with an award from the World Farmers Organization. Prince Albert II of Monaco has also given her an honorary degree, citing her "leadership in advancing inclusive and sustainable agricultural growth to secure livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa since 2014" as another reason for the recognition.
Source I Forbes
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