Ascent Club Unveils 2025 Top 100 Career Women in Africa, Celebrating Trailblazing Leadership

Following a grand celebratory event, Ascent Club proudly announces the release of its prestigious Top 100 Career Women in Africa list. This year’s honorees, unveiled at a gala event on Sunday, March 30th, 2025, at Alliance Française in Lagos, represent a powerful moment to close out the 2025 Women’s History Month, showcasing the remarkable achievements of women across the continent.

The 5th edition of this highly anticipated list recognizes exceptional female professionals shaping Africa’s future across diverse sectors. Ascent Club, a leading platform for women’s advancement, celebrates these trailblazers for their significant impact in the corporate world.

This year’s Top 100 Career Women in Africa features a diverse group of leaders, including:

• Aminata Kane: CEO, Orange Money Group (Morocco)

• Monique Nsanzabaganwa: Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission (Ethiopia)

• Patricia Obo-Nai: CEO, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (Ghana)

• Olayinka David-West: Dean, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University (Nigeria)

• Yvonne Manzi Makolo: CEO, RwandAir (Rwanda)

Ascent Unveils 2025 Top 100 Career Women in Africa, Celebrating Trailblazing Leadership

Lagos, Nigeria – March 31, 2025 – Following a grand celebratory event, Ascent Club proudly announces the release of its prestigious Top 100 Career Women in Africa list. This year’s honorees, unveiled at a gala event on Sunday, March 30th, 2025, at Alliance Française in Lagos, represent a powerful moment to close out Women’s History Month, showcasing the remarkable achievements of women across the continent.

The 5th edition of this highly anticipated list recognizes exceptional female professionals who are shaping Africa’s future across diverse sectors. Ascent Club, a leading platform for women’s advancement, celebrates these trailblazers for their significant impact in the corporate world.

These women, along with other remarkable honorees, have been carefully selected by a distinguished panel of judges. The selection process was based on rigorous criteria, ensuring that the list truly reflects the most impactful and inspiring women leaders in Africa. The judges, icons of leadership and excellence, brought their expertise, passion, and influence to the selection process. This distinguished panel included Dr. Naike Moshi, Founder, Women in Management Africa (WIMA) and Gender Specialist from Tanzania; Funke Amobi, Regional Head, People & Culture, Stanbic IBTC Holdings in Nigeria; Osayi Alile, CEO, Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation (ACT Foundation) in Nigeria; Dr. Tewa Onasanya, Founder, Exquisite Magazine & ELOY Awards in Nigeria; Dr. Saad Uakkas, Executive Chair, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) in Morocco; and Hassna Benseddik, Head of Events, IC Publications Group in Morocco.

The 2025 Top 100 Career Women in Africa list includes honorees from across the continent, with representation from:

• Northern Africa: Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia
• Western Africa: Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone
• Eastern Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi
• Southern Africa: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa

“As we mark the 5th edition of the Top 100 Career Women in Africa, I am honored to introduce the latest cohort of trailblazing leaders,” says Dr. Glory Edozien, Founder of Ascent Club and Global Visibility and Thought Leadership Expert. “This platform is more than a list—it is a movement dedicated to ensuring that the incredible women driving corporate and industry success across Africa receive the recognition and visibility they deserve.”

The full list of the 2025 Top 100 Career Women in Africa, arranged alphabetically, is as follows:

1. Abimbola Agbejule – Head, Corporate Sustainability, Wema Bank PLC – Nigeria
2. Adaku Ufere – Independent Governor and Trustee, University of Aberdeen – Ghana
3. Adebimpe Olambiwonnu – Chief Financial Officer, Sterling Financial Holdings Company – Nigeria
4. Adekunbi Johnson – Head, Travel, Africa Export-Import (Afrexim) Bank – Egypt
5. Adetola Fasuyi – Head, Wealth Management, United Capital Group – Nigeria
6. Aïssata Lam – Director General, Investment Promotion Agency of Mauritania – Mauritania
7. Alison Badenhorst – Chief Marketing Officer, Rand Merchant Bank – South Africa
8. Amina Onifade – Chief Operating Officer, Genesis Energy Group – Nigeria
9. Aminata Kane – CEO, Orange Money Group – Morocco
10. Amsale Gualu – First Female Captain, Ethiopian Airlines – Ethiopia
11. Annette Kimitei – Managing Director, Senaca East Africa – Kenya
12. Areje Adegoke – Asset Manager, Deep Water Non-Operated Ventures – Nigeria
13. Astou Dia – Portfolio Enterprise Lead & Deputy Team Leader, Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility – Kenya
14. Aurélie Pujo – Senior Advisor, Amethis – Morocco
15. Bogolo Joy Kenewendo – Cabinet Minister of Minerals and Energy, Government of Botswana – Botswana
16. Carina Wessels – Executive, Governance, Legal, Compliance, and Sustainability, Alexforbes – South Africa
17. Caroline Eboumbou – CEO, All On – Nigeria
18. Charlotte Ndaw Sako – Country Manager, International Finance Corporation – Cameroon
19. Chinny Ononuju-Mcernest – Special Adviser, Strategic Partnerships, Minister of Women Affairs – Nigeria
20. Chinwe Uzoho – Regional Managing Director, West & Central Africa, Network International – Nigeria
21. Chioma Etiaba-Nwankwo – Regional Bank Head, Lagos Central, Fidelity Bank – Nigeria
22. Chioma Nwokedi Momah – Head, Policy and Public Affairs, Guinness Nigeria PLC – Nigeria
23. Chizo Ezem – Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Nigeria
24. Christine Ambetsa – Country Director, Technology, Oracle – Kenya
25. Corine Mbiaketcha Nana – Member, PAPSS Management Board, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) – Kenya
26. Dayo Aderugbo – Divisional Head and General Manager, Bank of Industry – Nigeria
27. Dharshni Padayachee – Head, Diversity, Equity Inclusion & Wellbeing, Rand Merchant Bank – South Africa
28. Dr. Agnes Kalibata – President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa – Kenya
29. Dr. Amira Shoukry – Team Leader for Enabling Business Environment, DAI – Egypt
30. Dr. Julie Idongesit Utang – Manager, Stakeholder Relations/Ag. Head, Business Services, NUIMS, NNPC Limited – Nigeria
31. Dr. Michèle Mbo’o-Tchouawou – Deputy Director, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) – Kenya
32. Dr. Millicent Omukaga – Policy Officer, African Development Bank Group – Côte d’Ivoire
33. Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa – Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission – Ethiopia
34. Dr. Ntombi Mhangwani – Executive Head, Marketing, Vodacom Business – South Africa
35. Dr. Sheila Addo – Deputy Chief Executive (Technical), National Petroleum Authority (NPA) – Ghana
36. Dr. Towela Nyirenda-Jere – Head of Secretariat, Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) – Ethiopia
37. Dr. Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr – Mayor of Freetown, Freetown City Council – Sierra Leone
38. Ebtissam Farid – Professor of Practice in Architecture and Design, The Knowledge Hub Universities – Egypt
39. Ejiro Gray – Director, Governance & Sustainability, Sahara Group – Nigeria
40. Elizabeth Marabwa – Chief Director, Programme and Projects Management Office, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy – South Africa
41. Enitan Oyenuga – HR Director, Jumia Nigeria – Nigeria
42. Esther Adeola-Balogun – MD/CEO, UCEE Microfinance Bank Limited – Nigeria
43. Fatima Haram Acyl – Vice President, Central African Economic and Monetary Commission – Cameroon
44. Fatim Cissé – Director General, IHS Towers – Côte d’Ivoire
45. Felicia Agubata – Deputy General Manager, Terrestrial Services, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency – Nigeria
46. Fadoua Moutaouakil – Director of Strategy, M&A, Risk Management, TAQA Morocco – Morocco
47. Gakii Mwongera – Director, Mobile Financial Services, Ericsson – Kenya
48. Gladys J Some – Corporate Communications Manager, Kenya Reinsurance Corporation – Kenya
49. Heidi El Nahas – Head of Corporate Communications, Sustainability, and Sustainable Finance Group, Banque du Caire – Egypt
50. Hawa Cissé Wagué – Country Manager, Senior Agricultural Advisor, World Bank – Burundi
51. Ivy Mawuko – Head of Learning, Africa Regions, Standard Bank Group – Ghana
52. Itumeleng Monale – Chief Operating Officer, Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) – South Africa
53. Iyabode Ayobami-Ojo – Director, NNPC Academy – Nigeria
54. Jo-Ann Pöhl – Associate Director, Kearney – South Africa
55. Joyce Mndambi – Project Management Specialist – Private Sector Engagement & Youth, USAID – Tanzania
56. Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende – Senior Lecturer, Computer Science, Makerere University – Uganda
57. Judge Portia Nkutha-Nkontwana – Judge, Labour Court, Johannesburg – South Africa
58. Judith Obi    – General Manager Commercial, PPC Limited- Nigeria
59. Judy Gounden – Chief Marketing Officer, Quantum PKI – South Africa
60. Kaine Diete-Spiff – Physician General Practice, Shell – Nigeria
61. Kindo Marealle – Country Head, Human Capital, Access Bank Tanzania – Tanzania
62. Koumba Diallo – IP Education to Employment Program Director, Investisseurs & Partenaires – Côte d’Ivoire
63. Lade Araba – Vice President, Financial Services, African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) – Kenya
64. Lindiwe Zulu – Minister of Small Business Development, Department of Small Business Development – South Africa
65. Linda Quaynor – Partner/West Africa Strategy and Operations Leader, Deloitte Nigeria – Nigeria
66. Manel Harrathi – Senior Director, Strategic Innovation, Fraud Risk & Compliance Engineering, FIS – Tunisia
67. Mojisola Iyamabo – Associate Vice President, Gas Business, Heirs Energies – Nigeria
68. Mpono Mosaase – Commissioner, Operations Support, Revenue Services Lesotho – Lesotho
69. Natalie Paida Jabangwe – Board Member, Wesgro – South Africa
70. Nelisa Ngqulana – Associate Partner, Dalberg Media – Kenya
71. Ngozi Akinyele – Group Executive, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Coronation Group – Nigeria
72. Omolola Oloworaran – Director General, Pension Commission – Nigeria
73. Omowunmi Akingbohungbe – Executive Director, WIMBIZ – Nigeria
74. Olayinka David-West – Dean, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University – Nigeria
75. Olanike Nafisat Balogun – First Female Pilot, Nigeria Customs Service – Nigeria
76. Olu Arowolo Verheijen – Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Energy – Nigeria
77. Oghogho Makinde – Partner, Aluko & Oyebode – Nigeria
78. Ota Akhigbe – Director, Partnerships and Programs, eHealth Africa, Nigeria
79. Palesa Natasha Mothapo – Director, Research Support and Management, Nelson Mandela University – South Africa
80. Patricia Obo-Nai – CEO, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited – Ghana
81. Phemelo Mitchell – Senior Business Developer, Pele Energy Group – South Africa
82. Rania El-Rafie – Vice President, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, APO Group – Egypt
83. Rentia Van Tonder – Head, Power, Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Bank – South Africa
84. Ria Pinto – Country General Manager and Technology Leader, IBM South Africa – South Africa
85. Sara Mortada – General Manager, Engineering Department, Suez Methanol Derivatives – Egypt
86. Sayuri Moodliar – ESG Director, Open Access Data Centres, WIOCC – South Africa
87. Sherifat Adegbenro – Chief Audit and Compliance Officer, EKO Electricity Distribution PLC – Nigeria
88. Simi Nwogugu – CEO, Junior Achievement Africa – Nigeria
89. Soraya Munyana Hakuziyaremye – First Female Governor, National Bank of Rwanda – Rwanda
90. Stella Din-Jacob – Director of News & Editor-in-Chief, TVC Communications – Nigeria
91. Susan Maingi – Country Lead Regulatory Policy and Stakeholder Engagement, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa – Kenya
92. Sy Gourrah – Senior General Manager, Smart Technologies, ACTOM (Pty) Ltd – South Africa
93. Tolulope Babajide – Gender Network Manager, FSD Africa – Kenya
94. Vivian Thabet – Deputy Country Director, CARE – Egypt
95. Wambui Mbesa – East Africa CEO, Relational FS – Kenya
96. Wola Joseph Condotti – Group MD/CEO, West Power and Gas Limited – Nigeria
97. Wunmi Ehis-Uzenabor – Chief Financial Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria – Nigeria
98. Yinka Edu – Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie – Nigeria
99. Yvonne Manzi Makolo – CEO, RwandAir – Rwanda

Zama Khanyile – Commissioner, Presidential Climate Commission – South Africa