Forbes has released its 2025 ranking of the world’s 100 most influential women, spotlighting trailblazers who continue pushing boundaries despite growing challenges facing women in workplaces worldwide. In the United States alone, nearly half a million women left their jobs between January and October 2025, one of the largest drops ever recorded.
Findings from McKinsey and Lean In reveal that only 54% of companies now place priority on advancing women into leadership roles, a sharp fall from 90% just four years earlier. The UN has also raised alarms about the surge in online misogyny affecting women across different sectors.
Across the African continent, women are rewriting history in government, business, and media. Forbes highlighted six African women whose accomplishments are influencing both Africa and the wider global landscape.
Mary Vilakazi – South Africa
Mary Vilakazi is a respected chartered accountant and a major figure in South Africa’s financial sector. She started her journey at PwC, becoming one of the youngest partners at age 27, and later worked as CFO of the Mineral Services Group. She joined FirstRand in 2018 as Group COO and, on April 1, 2024, became the first woman and the first Black woman to lead FirstRand Group, the country’s biggest financial-services company by market value.
Judith Suminwa Tuluka – Democratic Republic of Congo
Judith Suminwa Tuluka made history in June 2024 when she became the DRC’s first female Prime Minister. Previously a UNDP official and economist, she also served as Minister of State and Planning. Her background includes public finance, project evaluation, budgeting, and national programme coordination.
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah – Namibia
On March 21, 2025, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as Namibia’s first woman president. A seasoned politician and former Vice President, she has held major government posts such as minister of foreign affairs and minister of environment. Since taking office, she has focused on reducing national debt and rebuilding key policies.
Mpumi Madisa – South Africa
Mpumi Madisa is the first Black woman to lead a top-40 company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. She assumed the CEO role at Bidvest in October 2020 after holding positions in sales, marketing, and corporate affairs. Under her leadership, the company has regained profitability, expanded internationally, and now oversees roughly 130,000 workers.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – Nigeria
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, one of the world’s most respected economists, has served in multiple global roles, including World Bank fundraiser, Gavi board chair, and co-chair of the Global Commission on Economy and Climate. On March 1, 2021, she became the first woman and first African to head the World Trade Organization. She secured a second term in 2024.
Mo Abudu – Nigeria
Mo Abudu, a major force in African media, is the founder of EbonyLife Media and continues shaping global interest in African storytelling. In 2025, TIME named her among the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” She recently introduced the Afro Film Fund, a $50 million project to support African film and TV production, and expanded her brand to the UK through EbonyLife Place London.
