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Distinguished Nigerian ambassadors, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu have once again been named among Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.
Okonjo-Iweala is a former Minister of Finance and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) while Abudu is a media mogul, philanthropist and founder of EbonyLife Media.
Ranking 89 in 2024, Okonjo-Iweala registered her eighth appearance on the exclusive list, having previously been featured in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022, and 2023.
Abudu marked her fourth appearance on the bounce by ranking 97. She debuted on the list in 2021, raking 99th but moved up to 91st in 2022, and was ranked 98th in 2023.
The media mogul shared her excitement and humility about the development in a post on her Instagram account.
“I am deeply humbled to feature once again on the Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list. It is an incredible honour to represent the media and entertainment sector, to stand as a proud Black woman, and to fly the flag for Nigeria and Africa on this prestigious global platform.”
She also sent congratulatory messages to other women on the list, including her compatriot, Okonjo-Iweala.
“A huge congratulations to all the phenomenal women on this list! A special shoutout to my dearest sister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, whose unwavering brilliance and leadership inspire us all year after year,” she said.
Abudu stressed the importance of representation, noting that seeing women of colour and women from developing nations getting global recognition inspires others to break barriers and shatter glass ceilings.
“Representation matters. When we see women of colour, women from developing nations, and women breaking barriers in all industries recognised on a global stage, it reminds us of what’s possible. It’s a call to action for us to continue breaking ceilings, forging paths, and lifting others along the way,” she stated.
She also expressed gratitude to Forbes for honouring women's resilience and contributions worldwide, saying, “Thank you, Forbes, for celebrating the power, resilience, and impact of women worldwide. Here’s to more women rising and rewriting the narrative.”
Below are the top 10 women who topped Forbes' list of 2024 most powerful women in the world.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission
Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank
Giorgia Meloni, prime minister of Italy
Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico
Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments
Julie Sweet, chairwoman and CEO of Accenture
Melina French Gates, philanthropist
Mackenzie Scott, philanthropist
Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup
See the list of 11-100 HERE.