ABUJA, Dec 12 (AGCNewsNet) – Two prominent Nigerian women, World Trade Organisation Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and EbonyLife Media founder Mo Abudu, have been named among Forbes’ 2025 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, reinforcing Nigeria’s growing influence in global trade, media and leadership.

The list, released Wednesday, highlights women shaping international policy, business, technology, culture and philanthropy. It places European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at No. 1, followed by European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde and Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.

Okonjo-Iweala, ranked 92nd, continues to receive global recognition for her work as the first woman and first African to lead the WTO. Forbes praised her as an economist and development professional with over three decades of experience across multiple continents. The 71-year-old previously served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister, briefly as Foreign Affairs Minister, and chaired the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, which has helped immunise more than 760 million children worldwide.

Media mogul Mo Abudu, listed at No. 98, was celebrated for her expansive influence in global entertainment. Through EbonyLife Media, she has secured partnerships with Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks and Netflix — the latter marking the first multi-title deal between the streaming giant and an African media company. Forbes described her as one of the most influential women in global media, noting the November launch of EbonyLife ON Plus, a new digital platform available on major app stores.

This year’s ranking also underscores women’s rising dominance in technology and artificial intelligence, spotlighting leaders such as AMD CEO Lisa Su, Alphabet’s Ruth Porat, Nvidia’s Colette Kress, Meta’s Susan Li and Microsoft’s Amy Hood. Other notable entrants include Anthropic co-founder Daniela Amodei and OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar.

In entertainment, Kim Kardashian made the list after raising $225 million for Skims at a $5 billion valuation, while the cast of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters rounded out the rankings at No. 100.

Nigeria’s representation on the global stage through Okonjo-Iweala and Abudu marks another milestone in the country’s expanding footprint in global leadership, diplomacy and creative industries.

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