Okonjo Iweala, Mo Abudu Named Among Forbes’ 2025 Most Powerful Women

World Trade Organisation Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and media executive Mo Abudu have been listed among Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women in the World for 2025, marking another global recognition for two of Nigeria’s most influential figures.

The annual ranking, released on Wednesday, highlights women shaping politics, business, media, and technology worldwide.

Okonjo-Iweala, placed 92nd, continues to be celebrated for her trailblazing leadership at the WTO, where she became both the first woman and first African to head the organisation since assuming office in 2021. Forbes described her as an economist with more than three decades of experience across multiple continents and noted her long-standing work advocating trade as a tool for development.

The former Nigerian Finance Minister, who also briefly served as Foreign Minister, previously chaired the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, helping to deliver life-saving immunisation to hundreds of millions of children. She holds degrees from Harvard University and MIT.

Media mogul Mo Abudu ranked 98th on the global list. Forbes praised her as “one of the most influential women in global media,” crediting her for expanding African storytelling through EbonyLife Media. Since launching EbonyLife TV in 2006, Abudu has overseen partnerships with Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks, and Netflix, becoming the first African content creator to sign a multi-title deal with the streaming platform. In 2025, she launched EbonyLife ON Plus, a new digital entertainment platform.

The 2025 list is led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, followed by ECB President Christine Lagarde, Japan’s first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Other notable figures include AMD CEO Lisa Su, Alphabet’s Ruth Porat, Microsoft’s Amy Hood, Meta CFO Susan Li, Anthropic co-founder Daniela Amodei, and entertainment personality Kim Kardashian. Rounding out the list are the women of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, recognised for their cultural influence.