This is a first-of-its-kind Pan-African unranked compilation of the continent’s leading women, drawn from business, politics, media, science, sports and public life, who are challenging the status quo and creating a trail on terrain where there was none. They are reshaping history, closing inequalities and pioneering new avenues of wealth creation and in turn, lifting others with them.
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| NAME | COUNTRY | TITLE | SECTOR |
| GRACA MACHEL | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, GRACA MACHEL TRUST | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| CLARE AKAMANZI | RWANDA | CEO, RWANDA DEVELOPMENT BOARD | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT/GOVERNANCE |
| FOLORUNSO ALAKIJA | NIGERIA | EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR, FAMFA OIL | OIL SECTOR |
| JENNIFER RIRIA | KENYA | GROUP CEO, ECHO NETWORK AFRICA (ENA); FOUNDING MEMBER, KENYA WOMEN FINANCE TRUST | FINANCE |
| LOUISE MUSHIKIWABO | RWANDA | SECRETARY GENERAL, ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE LA FRANCOPHONIE (OIF) | |
| AYA CHEBBI | TUNISIA | BLOGGER AND AFRICA UNION YOUTH ENVOY | MEDIA |
| ELSIE KANZA | TANZANIA | HEAD OF AFRICA AND MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM | FINANCE |
| IBUKUN AWOSIKA | NIGERIA | FOUNDER AND CEO, THE CHAIR CENTRE GROUP | MANUFACTURING |
| DR JUDY DLAMINI | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, MBEKANI GROUP | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| CHARLIZE THERON | SOUTH AFRICA | HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS | ENTERTAINMENT |
| CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE | NIGERIA | AUTHOR, PUBLIC SPEAKER | PUBLISHING |
| PHUTI MAHANYELE-DABENGWA | SOUTH AFRICA | CEO, NASPERS SOUTH AFRICA | TECHNOLOGY |
| OBIAGELI ‘OBY’ EZEKWESILI | NIGERIA | SENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR, AFRICA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY INITIATIVE (AEDPI) | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| GLENDA GRAY | SOUTH AFRICA | PRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (SAMRC) | HEALTHCARE |
| THULI MADONSELA | SOUTH AFRICA | LAW TRUST CHAIR, SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY | LAW |
| WENDY LUHABE | SOUTH AFRICA | SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & CO-FOUNDER, WIPHOLD | FINANCE |
| ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO | BENIN | FOUR-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER | ENTERTAINMENT |
| MANAL ROSTOM | EGYPT | FOUNDER, SURVIVING HIJAB AND FACE OF NIKE PRO HIJAB | HEALTH AND FITNESS |
| LYDIA NSEKERA | BURUNDI | PRESIDENT, NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (NOC) OF BURUNDI AND MEMBER OF FIFA COUNCIL | SPORT/GOVERNANCE |
| WINNIE BYANYIMA | UGANDA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNAIDS | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA | NIGERIA | CHAIR, BOARD OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR VACCINES AND IMMUNISATION (GAVI) | HEALTHCARE |
| PHUMZILE MLAMBO-NGCUKA | SOUTH AFRICA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED NATIONS (UN) WOMEN | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| WARIS DIRIE | SOMALIA | PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DESERT FLOWER FOUNDATION | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF | LIBERIA | FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA, NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE | GOVERNANCE |
| YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA | SOUTH AFRICA | AWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN | ENTERTAINMENT |
| SAHLE-WORK ZEWDE | ETHIOPIA | PRESIDENT OF ETHIOPIA | GOVERNANCE |
| MAMOKGETHI (KGETHI) PHAKENG | SOUTH AFRICA | VICE-CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN (UCT) | EDUCATION |
| REBECCA ENONCHONG | CAMEROON | FOUNDER & CEO, APPSTECH | TECHNOLOGY |
| BONANG MATHEBA | SOUTH AFRICA | MEDIA PERSONALITY, ENTREPRENEUR | ENTERTAINMENT |
| FATMA SAMOURA | SENEGAL | SECRETARY-GENERAL, FIFA | SPORT |
| IRENE CHARNLEY | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, SMILE COMMUNICATIONS | TECHNOLOGY |
| UCHENNA ‘UCHE’ PEDRO | NIGERIA | FOUNDER AND CEO, BELLANAIJA | MEDIA |
| ILWAD ELMAN | SOMALIA | FOUNDER, ELMAN PEACE CENTRE | ACTIVISM |
| WENDY APPELBAUM | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, DE MORGENZON WINE ESTATE | ENTREPRENEUR |
| OLAJUMOKE ADENOWO | NIGERIA | FOUNDER, AD CONSULTING | ADVERTISING |
| BETHLEHEM TILAHUN ALEMU | ETHIOPIA | FOUNDER AND CEO, SOLEREBELS FOOTWEAR, GARDEN OF COFFEE, TEFFTASTIC | ENTREPRENEUR |
| NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA | SOUTH AFRICA | MINISTER OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, SOUTH AFRICA | GOVERNANCE |
| WENDY ACKERMAN | SOUTH AFRICA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PICK ‘N PAY | RETAIL |
| CASTER SEMENYA | SOUTH AFRICA | OLYMPIC CHAMPION | SPORT |
| RAWYA MANSOUR | EGYPT | FOUNDER AND CEO, RAMSCO | AGRICULTURE |
| ARUNMA OTEH | NIGERIA | ACADEMIC SCHOLAR, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD FORMER TREASURER AND VICE PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE AFRICA ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER | FINANCE |
| FATOU BENSOUDA | GAMBIA | PROSECUTOR, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) | LAW |
| HAJER SHARIEF | LIBYA | HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE | ACTIVISM |
| AMINA J. MOHAMMED | NIGERIA | DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| PRECIOUS MOTSEPE | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, AFRICAN FASHION INTERNATIONAL | FASHION |
| LUPITA NYONG’O | KENYA | OSCAR-WINNING ACTOR | ENTERTAINMENT |
| VERA SONGWE | CAMEROON | EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| MAGDA WIERZYCKA | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, SYGNIA | FINANCE |
| TARA FELA-DUROTOYE | NIGERIA | FOUNDER, HOUSE OF TARA INTERNATIONAL | BEAUTY |
| THERESA KACHINDAMOTO | MALAWI | CHIEF OF DEDZA DISTRICT | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
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-Mashokane Mahlo
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