Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, has earned the top spot as the most powerful woman in Africa, according to Forbes’ 20th annual ranking. The list highlighted influential figures across various sectors, including CEOs, entertainers, politicians, philanthropists, and policymakers.
Forbes places Ms. Okonjo-Iweala at the 87th position on the global list of the Most Powerful Women, surpassing South African businesswoman Mpumi Madisa, who holds the 88th spot. Other notable entries include Tanzanian President Samia Hassan at 93rd and Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu at 98th.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, clinched the title of the most powerful woman in the world for 2023. Her impactful policy and budgetary decisions, influencing the lives of 450 million people in Europe, secured her the top position. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris follow closely in the second and third spots, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni securing the fourth position.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a prominent Nigerian, previously secured the 91st position in the 2022 ranking of Forbes’s World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Her continuous efforts in providing financial assistance and promoting global trade, particularly in the face of a looming global recession, contributed to her recognition.
With over 30 years of experience in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America, Okonjo-Iweala, a 69-year-old economist and international development professional, made history in March 2021 as the first woman and first African to serve as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. A mother of four, she staunchly believes in the transformative power of trade to uplift developing countries out of poverty and facilitate sustainable development.
Earlier in her illustrious career, she served two terms as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and briefly acted as the country’s foreign minister in 2006. Okonjo-Iweala also chaired the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has successfully immunized 760 million children globally.
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