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 recognises 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 Ascent Club Top 100 Career Women in Africa features a diverse group of leaders, including:

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

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:

Abimbola Agbejule – Head, Corporate Sustainability, Wema Bank PLC – Nigeria

Adaku Ufere – Independent Governor and Trustee, University of Aberdeen – Ghana

Adebimpe Olambiwonnu – Chief Financial Officer, Sterling Financial Holdings Company – Nigeria

Adekunbi Johnson – Head, Travel, Africa Export-Import (Afrexim) Bank – Egypt

Adetola Fasuyi – Head, Wealth Management, United Capital Group – Nigeria

Aïssata Lam – Director General, Investment Promotion Agency of Mauritania – Mauritania

Alison Badenhorst – Chief Marketing Officer, Rand Merchant Bank – South Africa

Amina Onifade – Chief Operating Officer, Genesis Energy Group – Nigeria

Aminata Kane – CEO, Orange Money Group – Morocco

Amsale Gualu – First Female Captain, Ethiopian Airlines – Ethiopia

Annette Kimitei – Managing Director, Senaca East Africa – Kenya

Areje Adegoke – Asset Manager, Deep Water Non-Operated Ventures – Nigeria

Astou Dia – Portfolio Enterprise Lead & Deputy Team Leader, Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility – Kenya

Aurélie Pujo – Senior Advisor, Amethis – Morocco

Bogolo Joy Kenewendo – Cabinet Minister of Minerals and Energy, Government of Botswana – Botswana

Carina Wessels – Executive, Governance, Legal, Compliance, and Sustainability, Alexforbes – South Africa

Caroline Eboumbou – CEO, All On – Nigeria

Charlotte Ndaw Sako – Country Manager, International Finance Corporation – Cameroon

Chinny Ononuju-Mcernest – Special Adviser, Strategic Partnerships, Minister of Women Affairs – Nigeria

Chinwe Uzoho – Regional Managing Director, West & Central Africa, Network International – Nigeria

Chioma Etiaba-Nwankwo – Regional Bank Head, Lagos Central, Fidelity Bank – Nigeria

Chioma Nwokedi Momah – Head, Policy and Public Affairs, Guinness Nigeria PLC – Nigeria

Chizo Ezem – Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Nigeria

Christine Ambetsa – Country Director, Technology, Oracle – Kenya

Corine Mbiaketcha Nana – Member, PAPSS Management Board, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) – Kenya

Dayo Aderugbo – Divisional Head and General Manager, Bank of Industry – Nigeria

Dharshni Padayachee – Head, Diversity, Equity Inclusion & Wellbeing, Rand Merchant Bank – South Africa

Dr. Agnes Kalibata – President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa – Kenya

Dr. Amira Shoukry – Team Leader for Enabling Business Environment, DAI – Egypt

Dr. Julie Idongesit Utang – Manager, Stakeholder Relations/Ag. Head, Business Services, NUIMS, NNPC Limited – Nigeria

Dr. Michèle Mbo’o-Tchouawou – Deputy Director, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) – Kenya

Dr. Millicent Omukaga – Policy Officer, African Development Bank Group – Côte d’Ivoire

Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa – Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission – Ethiopia

Dr. Ntombi Mhangwani – Executive Head, Marketing, Vodacom Business – South Africa

Dr. Sheila Addo – Deputy Chief Executive (Technical), National Petroleum Authority (NPA) – Ghana

Dr. Towela Nyirenda-Jere – Head of Secretariat, Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) – Ethiopia

Dr. Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr – Mayor of Freetown, Freetown City Council – Sierra Leone

Ebtissam Farid – Professor of Practice in Architecture and Design, The Knowledge Hub Universities – Egypt

Ejiro Gray – Director, Governance & Sustainability, Sahara Group – Nigeria

Elizabeth Marabwa – Chief Director, Programme and Projects Management Office, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy – South Africa

Enitan Oyenuga – HR Director, Jumia Nigeria – Nigeria

Esther Adeola-Balogun – MD/CEO, UCEE Microfinance Bank Limited – Nigeria

Fatima Haram Acyl – Vice President, Central African Economic and Monetary Commission – Cameroon

Fatim Cissé – Director General, IHS Towers – Côte d’Ivoire

Felicia Agubata – Deputy General Manager, Terrestrial Services, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency – Nigeria

Fadoua Moutaouakil – Director of Strategy, M&A, Risk Management, TAQA Morocco – Morocco

Gakii Mwongera – Director, Mobile Financial Services, Ericsson – Kenya

Gladys J Some – Corporate Communications Manager, Kenya Reinsurance Corporation – Kenya

Heidi El Nahas – Head of Corporate Communications, Sustainability, and Sustainable Finance Group, Banque du Caire – Egypt

Hawa Cissé Wagué – Country Manager, Senior Agricultural Advisor, World Bank – Burundi

Ivy Mawuko – Head of Learning, Africa Regions, Standard Bank Group – Ghana

Itumeleng Monale – Chief Operating Officer, Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) – South Africa

Iyabode Ayobami-Ojo – Director, NNPC Academy – Nigeria

Jo-Ann Pöhl – Associate Director, Kearney – South Africa

Joyce Mndambi – Project Management Specialist – Private Sector Engagement & Youth, USAID – Tanzania

Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende – Senior Lecturer, Computer Science, Makerere University – Uganda

Judge Portia Nkutha-Nkontwana – Judge, Labour Court, Johannesburg – South Africa

Judith Obi – General Manager Commercial, PPC Limited- Nigeria

Judy Gounden – Chief Marketing Officer, Quantum PKI – South Africa

Kaine Diete-Spiff – Physician General Practice, Shell – Nigeria

Kindo Marealle – Country Head, Human Capital, Access Bank Tanzania – Tanzania

Koumba Diallo – IP Education to Employment Program Director, Investisseurs & Partenaires – Côte d’Ivoire

Lade Araba – Vice President, Financial Services, African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) – Kenya

Lindiwe Zulu – Minister of Small Business Development, Department of Small Business Development – South Africa

Linda Quaynor – Partner/West Africa Strategy and Operations Leader, Deloitte Nigeria – Nigeria

Manel Harrathi – Senior Director, Strategic Innovation, Fraud Risk & Compliance Engineering, FIS – Tunisia

Mojisola Iyamabo – Associate Vice President, Gas Business, Heirs Energies – Nigeria

Mpono Mosaase – Commissioner, Operations Support, Revenue Services Lesotho – Lesotho

Natalie Paida Jabangwe – Board Member, Wesgro – South Africa

Nelisa Ngqulana – Associate Partner, Dalberg Media – Kenya

Ngozi Akinyele – Group Executive, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Coronation Group – Nigeria

Omolola Oloworaran – Director General, Pension Commission – Nigeria

Omowunmi Akingbohungbe – Executive Director, WIMBIZ – Nigeria

Olayinka David-West – Dean, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University – Nigeria

Olanike Nafisat Balogun – First Female Pilot, Nigeria Customs Service – Nigeria

Olu Arowolo Verheijen – Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Energy – Nigeria

Oghogho Makinde – Partner, Aluko & Oyebode – Nigeria

Ota Akhigbe – Director, Partnerships and Programs, eHealth Africa, Nigeria

Palesa Natasha Mothapo – Director, Research Support and Management, Nelson Mandela University – South Africa

Patricia Obo-Nai – CEO, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited – Ghana

Phemelo Mitchell – Senior Business Developer, Pele Energy Group – South Africa

Rania El-Rafie – Vice President, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, APO Group – Egypt

Rentia Van Tonder – Head, Power, Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Bank – South Africa

Ria Pinto – Country General Manager and Technology Leader, IBM South Africa – South Africa

Sara Mortada – General Manager, Engineering Department, Suez Methanol Derivatives – Egypt

Sayuri Moodliar – ESG Director, Open Access Data Centres, WIOCC – South Africa

Sherifat Adegbenro – Chief Audit and Compliance Officer, EKO Electricity Distribution PLC – Nigeria

Simi Nwogugu – CEO, Junior Achievement Africa – Nigeria

Soraya Munyana Hakuziyaremye – First Female Governor, National Bank of Rwanda – Rwanda

Stella Din-Jacob – Director of News & Editor-in-Chief, TVC Communications – Nigeria

Susan Maingi – Country Lead Regulatory Policy and Stakeholder Engagement, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa – Kenya

Sy Gourrah – Senior General Manager, Smart Technologies, ACTOM (Pty) Ltd – South Africa

Tolulope Babajide – Gender Network Manager, FSD Africa – Kenya

Vivian Thabet – Deputy Country Director, CARE – Egypt

Wambui Mbesa – East Africa CEO, Relational FS – Kenya

Wola Joseph Condotti – Group MD/CEO, West Power and Gas Limited – Nigeria

Wunmi Ehis-Uzenabor – Chief Financial Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria – Nigeria

Yinka Edu – Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie – Nigeria

Yvonne Manzi Makolo – CEO, RwandAir – Rwanda

Zama Khanyile – Commissioner, Presidential Climate Commission – South Africa