Meet the Top 100 Career Women in Africa

Women in corporate Africa do great work but are rarely seen or celebrated for the great work they do. If we really want to move the dial when it comes to gender parity in Africa’s corporate sector, we need to do more to create a pipeline of female talent from entry level straight to the boardroom across the continent.

One way of achieving this is to make sure high achieving women, and there are many of them, are seen.?

Showcasing diverse women across Africa from a multiplicity of sectors has a domino effect. Firstly it projects these women on a global scale, something that they tend to shy away from doing themselves, and secondly it helps women on the lower rungs of the ladder see possibilities in their own careers. It promotes, ownership, inspiration, growth and additionally more opportunities for women.?

This is why we at 9to5Chick have created the annual top 100 women list. The list which is now in its third edition, with the first 2 editions focused primarily on women in Nigeria’s corporate sector, features women from five African regions across 18 countries who have been evaluated based on the influence of their role, their impact, including giveback initiatives both within and outside their careers, documented thought leadership, and career achievements. The breakdown of the representation from the different African regions is West Africa (64), East Africa (16), Southern Africa (16), North Africa (3), and Central Africa (1).

These women are paving the way for the next generation of female leaders, and their achievements are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and commitment to their careers.

This evaluation was carried by an independent advisory panel also known as the judges comprising Yemí Fá?eun , Chief Talent Officer at YT Talent Officer, Osayi Alile , CEO of Aspire Coronation Trust, Funke Amobi Chartered CCIPD, FCIPD, FCIPM Amobi, Regional Head People & Culture Nigeria & West Africa Standard Bank Group, Nkiru Olumide-Ojo (Ph.D) Olumide – Ojo, Africa Regions Executive Head, Marketing Corporate Communications & CSI at Standard Bank Group, and Dr. Tewa Onasanya Dist. Fellow, ILMMD , Founder/CEO of Exquisite Magazine Services Ltd.

My team at 9to5Chick and I are proud to celebrate African women on the continent working in the corporate sector. We believe that this list goes beyond celebrating these women, but is also wholly inspirational to women across Africa and diaspora. It’s not only about the power of the African woman but her drive, and her contributions on the continent. Our goal is to amplify the voices of these women who have achieved so much but may not have received the recognition they deserve. We hope that this recognition will inspire more women to pursue their dreams, break barriers, and make positive impact in their communities.

Meet the amazing women below

Audrey Abakah (Ghana): SME, Agency banking and Partnership / Absa?

Catherine Mwakasitu (Tanzania) Head of Finance and Operations/Financial Sector Deepening Tanzania, Tanzania

Carol Ariyibi, Business Transformation Catalyst Ariyibi (Nigeria) Head, Corporate Transformation/ARM Holding Company Ltd., Nigeria

Andrea Quaye (South Africa) Senior Director, Global Category Lead – Coffee, The Coca-Cola Company, South Africa

Linda Obi (Nigeria) Head of Global Operations, Zenith Chain, Nigeria

Cany Jobe (M.Eng, MIPM) Jobe (Gambia) Director of Exploration and Production, Gambia National Petroleum Corporation, Gambia

Vuyokazi Henda Henda (South Africa) Chief Marketing Officer, Spur Corporation, South Africa

Mary Ojulari (Nigeria) Managing Director, Weststar Associates Limited(Mercedes-Benz Nigeria), Nigeria

Rita Opiah (Nigeria) General Manager,?Park Inn by Radisson Serviced Apartments, Nigeria

Nneka Eneli, MBA, MELS, MCIPM, MNIM (Nigeria) Director of Outsourcing, Workforce Group, Nigeria

Sophie Okonkwo (Nigeria) Tech HR, Microsoft, Nigeria

Kelechi Mbah FIMC, CMC Mbah (Nigeria) Chief Marketing Officer,? Digital Jewels Limited, Nigeria

Faustina Fynn-Nyame (Kenya) Executive Director for Africa, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Kenya

Ayo Mairo-Ese (Nigeria) Anchor, Arise News, Nigeria

Arit Okpo (Nigeria)?CNN African Voices Changemakers, Nigeria

Busola Odusanya (Nigeria) Senior Attorney (In-House Counsel), ExxonMobil, Nigeria

Dr Olukemi O. (Nigeria) Medical Epidemiologist, Public Health Physician, Nigerian Ministry of Defence, Nigeria

Dr. Adetola Salau (Nigeria) Senior Special Assistant on Education to the Governor, Lagos State,? Lagos State Government, Nigeria

Eloho Omame (Nigeria) Partner, TLcom Capital LLP, Nigeria

Eve Banda (South Africa) Executive Head, People & Marketing,? Hollard Insurance, South Africa

Ezinne Chidimma Anosike Anosike (Nigeria) Head, People & Culture,? Stanbic IBTC Bank, Nigeria

Farida Bedwei (Ghana) Principal Software Engineer, Microsoft, Ghana

@Folarinle Akinrinola (Nigeria) Indirect Channels Director, sub-Saharan Africa,? GE Healthcare, Nigeria

Hadiza Adukonu (Nigeria) Vice President, Corporate Development, West Titan Energy Nigeria

Ibukun Aibee Abidoye (Nigeria) Executive Vice President, Chocolate City Music, Nigeria

Ifesinachi Okoli-Okpagu (Nigeria) Chief Marketing Officer,? Heirs Insurance, Nigeria

Juliet OKENE (Nigeria) Payroll Benefits Manager, Total Energies Nigeria

Dr.(hc) ‘Jumoke Aleoke-Malachi (workplacewithJAM) (Nigeria) Head Talent Management, WEMA Bank, Nigeria

Jumoke Fajemirokun (Nigeria) Partner, ENR Advisory, Nigeria

Kai Orga (Nigeria) MD, ARM Investment Managers, Nigeria

Ladi Stephen (Angola) Country Director/USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement and Supply Management, Angola

Lola Aworanti-Ekugo (Nigeria) Chief Digital Officer, FBNQuest, Nigeria

Lucy Wairimu? MSc. OD Wairimu (Kenya) Director of People and Culture,? Mercy Corps, Kenya

Mariama Wurie (Sierra Leone) Education Consultant and Communications Consultant, The World Bank. Sierra Leone

Mojisola Olurotimi (Nigeria) People Operations Business Partner, Maruchi Global, Nigeria

Nabila Aguele (Nigeria) Special Adviser to Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Nigeria, Nigeria

Nkem Chinwe Offonabo - The HARMONISER? (Nigeria) Head, Employee Service and Wellness/Premium Trust Bank, Nigeria

Nthabi Motsoeneng (South Africa) Marketing Director South Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa at Pernod Ricard, South Africa

Oge Maduagwu - arpa, CDMP (Nigeria) West Africa Media Manager, Unilever, Nigeria

Olufunke Omoyemi-Baruwa (Nigeria) Program Officer,? Ford Foundation, Nigeria

Oluwasola Obagbemi (Nigeria)?Corporate Communications Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta, Nigeria

Oluwatoyin Aralepo FCA, MBA, FIIM (Nigeria) Global Head of Finance, Program FP&A, Mastercard Foundation, Nigeria

Zethu Dlamini (Eswatini) Chief Marketing Officer,? FNB Eswatini, Eswatini

Vere Shaba (South Africa) Carbon Monetisation Cluster, Built by Nature, South Africa

Tolulope Omoleye-Osindero (Nigeria) Head, Legal & Compliance/Branch International, Nigeria

@Tolulope Ita (Nigeria) Country Manager / International Beverages Consultancy, Nigeria

Tesi Rusagara (Rwanda) Managing Director / Kigali Innovation City, Rwanda

Temitope Yusuff (Nigeria) Director, Internal Audit and Risk Management / IHS Towers, Nigeria

Temi Dalley (Nigeria) Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO)/Sterling Bank/, Nigeria

Tega Onojaife (Nigeria) Sports Producer/Presenter / SMOOTH FM 98.1, Nigeria

Mulinge Sylvia M.B.S (Uganda) CEO / MTN Uganda, Uganda

Prudence Masako (Tanzania) Country Director/CARE, Tanzania

Patricia Luhanga (Zambia) Corporate Affairs Manager/Electoral Commission of Zambia, Zambia

Osasuyi Dirisu, PhD (Nigeria) Executive Director / Policy Innovation Centre, Nigeria

@Peace Nnabugwu (Nigeria) Renewable Energy Consultant / Energy Commission of Nigeria, Nigeria

Ory Okolloh (Kenya) Partner/Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures, Kenya

Onemhinye Bayode (South Africa) Senior Director – Strategy (Africa Middle East and South Asia)/ PepsiCo, South Africa

Fatima Kyari Mohammed (Nigeria) African Union Permanent Observer to the United Nations, NY., Nigeria

Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng (South Africa) United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, South Africa

Vera Kamtukule (Malawi) Minister of Tourism,? Malawi Government, Malawi

Carine TOURE YEMITIA, FCILT (COTE D'IVOIRE) Regional Senior Procurement Officer, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), COTE D’IVOIRE

Dagmawit Moges Bekele (Ethiopia) Director, Peace Fund Secretariat, African Union Commission, Ethiopia

Dr. Ramatu Abdulkadir (Nigeria) Head of Pharmacy Department, National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria

Ifeoma Agu FIMC, AFICPM (Nigeria) Marketing Manager, International Premium Spirits & Reserve Brands, Diageo, Nigeria

Dolapo Oshiegbu (Nigeria) Plant Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nigeria

Ayodeji (Deji) Ajibola, GPHR Ajibola (Nigeria) HR Director – Guinness Nigeria, Nigeria

Nadia Ahmed Abdalla (Kenya) Councilor, New Voices Council, Apolitical Foundation, KENYA

Niven Postma (South Africa) Tutor, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), SOUTH AFRICA

Ayodele Olojede FCA, MBA Olojede (Nigeria) Group Head, Emerging Businesses Africa/ Access Bank Plc, Nigeria

Lumun Amanda Feese (Nigeria)Technical Advisor Ministry of mines and steel, Nigeria

Rania A. Al-Mashat Al Mashat (Egypt) Minister of International Cooperation,? Egypt

Noha El Ghazaly (Egypt) Egypt Country Advisor,? Mediterrania Capital Partners, Egypt

Shirley Tony Kum, APR, ACIMG Tony Kum (Ghana) Corporate Communications Manager, Vivo Energy Ghana, Ghana

Praise Nutakor - APR (Dogah) Nutakor (Ghana) Head of Communications and Partnerships – UNDP Ghana, Ghana

Annette Kanora (Tanzania)?Head of PR & Communications, Vodacom Tanzania, Tanzania

Cynthia Ofori-Dwumfuo (Ghana) Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Affairs, Hollard Ghana Holdings, Ghana

Moky Makura (South Africa) Executive Director, Africa No Filter, SOUTH AFRICA

Keneiloe Molopyane (South Africa) Scientific researcher, University of the Witwatersrand, South AFRICA

Funke Jaiyesimi (Nigeria) Marketing Manager, Janssen Pharmaceutical Company, Nigeria

Angela Mensah-Poku (Ghana) Director of Digital and Commercial Operations, Vodafone Ghana, Ghana

Angela Ndambuki (Kenya) Regional Director Sub-Saharan Africa, International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Kenya

Debra Mallowah (Kenya) Vice President, East, and Central Africa Franchise, The Coca-Cola Company, Kenya

Evelyne DIOH SIMPA (Senegal) Managing Director, WIC Capital, Senegal?

Naomi Wanjiru Njeri Monobolou (C?te d’Ivoire) Senior Programme Budget and Policy Officer / African Development Bank Group, C?te d’Ivoire?

Fathima Ebrahim (South Africa) Head of Marketing, Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa, South Africa

Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy Muhutu Remy (South Africa) Managing Director, Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa

Lilian Onyach (Kenya) Head Consumer and High Net Worth, Stanbic Bank Kenya, Kenya

Monali Shah (Nigeria) Board Advisor, Pixis, Nigeria

Temitope Iluyemi (Nigeria) Senior Director, Procter & Gamble, Nigeria

Yolanda Cuba CA(SA) Cuba (South Africa) Group Regional Vice President Southern & East Africa, MTN Group, South Africa?

Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh (Morroco) Strategic Partnerships and Multinational Corporations Lead Africa, Microsoft, Morocco

Fatoumata Doro (Ghana) Managing Director Vlisco, Ghana

Elizabeth Wathuti , O.G.W (Kenya) Head of Campaigns and Daima Consortium Coordinator, Wangari Maathai Foundation, Kenya

Anna Ekeledo ( Nigeria) Executive Director at AfriLabs Foundation, Nigeria

Caren Wakoli (Kenya) Interim Executive Director, Emerging Public Leaders, Kenya

Chido Cleopatra Mpemba (South Africa) Special Envoy on Youth, African Union Chairperson & Cabinet, South Africa

Jemimah Jatau (Nigeria) Consultant – Gender and Social Inclusion Consultant USAID | Power Africa Nigeria Power Sector Program, Nigeria

Yawa Hansen-Quao (Ghana) Director, Ashesi University, Ghana

Abena Osei-Poku (Ghana) Managing Director,? ABSA Bank Ghana Limited, Ghana?

To read the bios of these inspiring female African leaders please see our media partner pages Guardian Woman , Bella Naija , Exquisite Magazine , Women of Rubies , OloriSupergal

#Femaleexecutives #Executivevisibility #Personalbranding #Thoughtleadership #9to5chick #Careerwomen #africanleaders

About Glory Edozien (PhD): Glory is a personal branding and LinkedIn visibility strategist for African Female Executives. She is also the president of 9to5Chick Media, a media and visibility platform for Africa's most ambitious women.