100 Impact and Changemakers in Nigeria 

There are Nigerians in all career paths who are using these platforms to change the country and impact the lives of other Nigerian citizens. In this list, we cover 100 individuals and agencies in the social advocacy, entertainment, health, community development, climate, sports, public service, and media fields who have impacted Nigerians positively. 

1. Akinyemi Oluwaseun Omotayo 

Akinyemi Oluwaseun Omotayo is a Nigerian social media personality, cinematographer and philanthropist who is known as the Nigerian version of “Mr Beast” due to how he has contributed to helping under-privileged Nigerians out of poverty. Commonly known as “Asherkine,” he studied mass communication at the University of Lagos and began his career as a video editor and cinematographer, even shooting music videos for the likes of Asake. He is credited for his impact and how he has uplifted random strangers, while working with big corporations like Malta Guiness, Itel, and Indomie to give back to the less privileged Nigerians. In 2026, he championed a fund-raising to help a young girl who was born with Macrodactyly and was able to raise over 36 million Naira to kickstart her surgery. 

2. Oluwatosin Olaseinde

Oluwatosin Olaseinde is the founder and CEO of Money Africa, a fintech company with a community of over 200k people. She began her career as a chartered accountant, specializing in accounting, auditing, financial management, and taxation, before moving on to build Money Africa and help revolutionize the sector in Nigeria. Oluwatosin’s major focus is on emphasizing the need for financial literacy and investment through technology. She has also notably contributed to the growth of financial knowledge in Nigeria In 2023, Olaseinde won the NSIA for Money Africa, which recognises innovative Nigerian startups addressing national development challenges and in 2026, she was recognized as one of the most impactful women  in Nigeria by Zikoko.  

3. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is a Nigerian politician and lawyer who is currently serving as a member of the 10th Nigeria National Assembly representing Kogi Central Senatorial District. Natasha-Akpoti made history when she was elected female senator in Kogi state, as she became the first woman to attain that position in the state, and one of the very few female senators in the country. Before her time as a senator, Natasha-Akpoti worked as a legal counsel at Brass NG, established the Builders Hub Impact Investment Program, she has been lauded by many for her contributions to politics for women in Nigeria. Natasha-Akpoti has contributed significantly to bettering the lives of people in her community, and in 2026, she empowered the people in Gadumo-Ganaja of Ajaokuta LGA and Ogori/Magongo LGA with free access to the internet. She also commenced the planting of 10,000 economics trees across Kogi central to invest in food security, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and erosion control.

4. Blessing Abeng 

Blessing Abeng is a Nigerian entrepreneur and co-founder of Disha, now acquired by Flutterwave, and one of the founders of Ingressive for Good (I4G), a tech non-profit organization that empowers young African tech talents who are in need of assistance and opportunities in order to reach their full potential. In 2022, she won the African Achievers Awards of the year and in 2023, she was listed in the Forbes Africa 30 under 30. Ingressive for Good has worked in partnership with Google in providing scholarships, technical training and talent placement for African youths. In 2025, she was part of the leadership team for the UN summit on equality for women and girls and even in 2026, she has continued to contribute to the Tech4Dev team in creating opportunities for Africans through digital skills, advocacy and empowerment. 

5. Oguche Agudah

Oguche Agudah is a managing partner, impact investment advisory, founder of HRISP Partners and CEO of the pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp), and through his leadership, Nigeria’s pension industry worth $30 billion is headed towards a positive national development. Before taking on this role, he was Nigeria’s Regional Director for OurCrowd, a crowd funding, venture capital and impact investment firm with headquarters in Israel, with a background in banking. Oguche was nominated to serve as a board member for the Nigerian National Advisory board (NAB) for Impact Investments, the national body designed to strengthen the impact investment ecosystem in Nigeria under the framework of the Global Sustainability Group (GSG) for Impact Investments. In recent times, (2025 and 2026) he has been one of the leading voices for financial safety and planning in Nigeria and is the co-founder of “the Agudah Institute of Family and National Transformation,” an organization created to help parents navigate building a family, and in 2026 alongside his wife, advocated for the release of the kidnapped Nigerian children. 

6. Onyinyechi Nwachukwu 

Onyinyechi Nwachukwu is a Nigerian content creator and activist who went viral for documenting and leading a call out over severe overcrowding and long queues at the Ikorodu BRT terminal, which led to the government taking steps to provide more buses, and create temporary solutions to the situation. Popularly known as “Dark Skinned Ella,” Onyinyechi’s bravery contributed to creating resources for people who had suffered transportation delays and insecurities for months and although she faced verbal abuse and harassment from transport officials, she stood on her decision to create impact for herself and her fellow commuters which gained her recognition. Ella’s heroic act in 2025 contributed to creating comfort for Nigerians and inspired many more to speak against injustice. 

7. Toyin Ojora-Saraki

Toyin Ojora-Saraki is a Nigerian  global health advocate, healthcare philanthropist and the Founder-President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa. She has contributed over two decades of advocacy covering maternal, newborn and child health, gender-based discrimination and violence, improving education, socio-economic empowerment and community livelihoods in Africa, and is a global health advocate of Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria, reducing the rate of maternal and infant mortality. She is actively working towards ending maternal mortality and poverty in Africa and contributing to the education for mothers in underserved communities. In 2026 alone, her organization has led outreaches targeted at underserved and underrepresented communities in Nigeria to provide them medical care and educational support. 

8. Emmanuel Olorunshola

Emmanuel Olorunshola is a Nigerian entrepreneur and tech founder whose journey began in 2016 with his creation of ShopNow, the first and only Bitcoin-funded e-commerce platform in Nigeria. He also went on to earn a name for himself in the world of food technology by creating ‘Foodkix,’ a bicycle-based food delivery service, but he didn’t stop there. Emmanuel also created Kixmenu, a digital menu and POS venture. Beyond revolutionizing the tech world through technological innovations, Emmanuel Olorunshola has trained over 10,000 people in e-commerce and entrepreneurial skills across the continent and won the Innovative Tech Entrepreneur of the Year at the Titans of Tech Awards. 

9. Asisat Oshoala

Asisat Oshoala is a professional footballer, who plays as a striker for the Saudi Women’s Premier League club and on the Nigerian national team. She is widely recognized as one of the best female footballers of her generation and is one of the most decorated and celebrated African female footballers in history, which is proven by the fact that she has taken home the win for African Women’s Footballer of The Year, six times. In 2025, Asisat was named in the Nigeria squad for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nation, and was also called up to the Nigerian squad for the 2024 summer Olympics and in 2026 during the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Oshoala scored crucial goals in consecutive group-stage matches to help Nigeria advance to the quarter-finals. On 1 August 2026, she scored her 15th career WAFCON goal in the eighth minute of a 1–0 victory against Zambia, securing three vital points for the ten-woman Super Falcons. In Nigeria’s final Group C match on 5 August 2026, she opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 21st minute during an eventual 6–2 triumph over Egypt. 

10. Gerald Esemonu 

Gerald Esemonu is a Nigerian climate reality leader, public speaker, project manager and director who works with youth in schools. He began his career in a classroom, where he saw the opportunity to mentor and impact knowledge on young people, and has even received an award as an outstanding teacher. In 2020 at the Global Climate Reality Leadership Corps he added the title of Climate Reality Leader to his name, and became dedicated to creating awareness about climate change, he is also leader for the Global Shapers Community’s Climate and Environment Committee for Sub-Saharan Africa. Gerald incorporates climate and environmental issues in the school, community, and classroom as he actively engages on climate action at local, continental and global level with Environmental Friendly Initiative, Global Shapers Community and The Climate Reality Project. For the last year, he has been at the forefront of conversations about climate change, while also advocating for people to take care of their environment. 

11. Chiamaka Nnadozie 

Chiamaka Nnadozie is a Nigerian footballer, who is well known for her role as a goalkeeper for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League and the Nigeria women’s national team. While in her role as the goalkeeper for the Nigerian women’s national team, Chiamaka broke the record of being awarded as the African best female goalkeeper of the year three times in a row in 2023, 2024 and 2025, making her the first player to ever achieve this. Chiamaka is professionally regarded as one of the best female goalkeeper in existence and was ranked fourth at the 2025 Yashin Trophy and has been regarded as one of the best female footballers in the world by “The Guardian.

12. Akintunde Sultan Bolaji 

Akintunde Sultan Bolaji is a Nigerian expert in software technology, community building, developer relations, and the co-founder and CTO of one of the largest tech schools in Nigeria, ‘Alt School.’ Akintunde has a well-documented portfolio of building and scaling technology organizations and fostering vibrant developer communities across Africa, and has contributed to $1m in fundraising. He is known to many as an inspiration to aspiring tech professionals and has over a decade of experience in the tech industry. Alt School is credited with contributing to the education of hundreds of young Africans  who are just finding their way into tech, while also providing them with opportunities after their education with Alt School and as at 2026, ALT school has contributed to the tech education of over 200,000 people in Africa. 

13. Ada Nduka Oyom

Ada Nduka Oyom is the founder and executive director of She Codes Africa. This nonprofit tech organization provides African women with the tools they need to access digital tech education. Ada is also a software developer and open source advocate who once led developer relations at Interswitch. She also co-founded Osca HQ, an open-source community of over 5,000 open-source builders and contributors and through her leadership, she has advocated for women to be included in tech space, while also drawing attention to the unnoticeable inequalities in the tech sector against women. As of 2025,  She Code Africa recorded over 62,000 women who had benefited from the organization with a goal of contributing to the financial and career success of 100,000 women. 

14. Solomon Ekundayo 

Solomon Ekundayo is an environmental advocate, founder of Conserve River Nigeria, an organization creating solutions to freshwater conservation issues, sharing information on waste management and education on the environment. He is the director at Plogging Nigeria, a community of young people who are advancing action on climate and environmental issues and a fellow at global changemakers. In 2026, Solomon was a speaker at the Global Youth Development event, a host for the launch of the acceleration week. He also participated at the National plastic summit organized in Nigeria, where he spoke on creating pathways for innovation, inclusivity and sustainability.

15. Folake Owodunni 

Folake Owodunni is a Nigerian healthcare entrepreneur, and the co-founder and CEO of Emergency Response Africa, a health tech company that has contributed immensely to revolutionizing access to emergency healthcare within the continent. Folake has an extensive portfolio with over 16 years of experience across the healthcare field, from marketing to consultation in Nigeria, Canada and the U.S, she has created a successful path for herself in the health industry. Under her leadership, Emergency Response Africa has been able to reduce response time in Africa by 80%, while also managing over 5000 medical emergencies. She has also worked with Nigerian state governments in Edo, Ogun, and Rivers to reduce tragedies caused by a slow emergency response, and is a recipient of the Aurora Tech Award, the Google Black Founders Fund, and WISCAR’s Grace Alele-Williams Alumni Impact Award. In 2026, under her leadership, the Emergency Response Africa team has hosted community sensitization outreaches, provided first aid training for companies in Nigeria and created toll-free numbers for emergency assistance. 

16. Sam Adeyemi 

Pastor Sam Adeyemi is a Nigerian church leader, teacher, success coach, leadership consultant and pastor of Daystar Christian Center. He is known for his work in providing a step-by-step blueprint for people who are interested in creating lasting positive change in the society and has spent over 30-years impacting his knowledge. has trained thousands of people in leadership for more than two decades. He has done this through the Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA), which has graduated over 52,000 people since 2002, and through seminars, workshops, and conferences. He currently serves as a mentor to hundreds of top CEOs in Nigeria, and this year, he contributed to the creation of educational institute for young girls in Nigeria. 

17. Tobi Amusan 

Tobi Amusan is a Nigerian track and field athlete whose speciality is in 100 metres hurdles, and sprinting. She is the current world record holder in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.12 seconds which she set at the 2022 women’s 100 metres hurdles semi-final in Eugene, Oregon. She is the former Commonwealth champion and current African Champion in the 100 m hurdles, as well as the meet record holder in those two competitions. In 2022, Tobi Amusan became the first ever Nigerian world champion and world record holder in an athletes event after winning the championships 100 m hurdles gold medal and in that same year, she was awarded the title of “Female Athlete of the Year” by the Confederation of African Athletes.  In 2025 she won silver at the World Championships in Tokyo, gold at the African championships in Accra, Ghana and in 2026, she took home bronze at the Commonwealth games. 

18. Egemba Chinonso Fidelis 

Egemba Chinonso Fidelis popularly known as “Apoko Doctor” is a Nigerian doctor, actor, health influencer and founder of non-profit organization,“100k Club” and Healthy Brands.” Chinonso’s care began in 2016 as a resident doctor in Imo State University Teaching hospital, and in 2017 he started sharing health tips on the internet under the name “Aproko Doctor” which built him a reputation as a go-to source for health concerns. His way of sharing medical information by using humor and storytelling endeared him to people, and in 2020 he founded the 100K Club, a non-profit organisation that gives support to Nigerians who need health assistance. He has been nominated for several awards and is a three-time winner of the Trendupp Awards and a two-time winner of the Pulse Influencer Awards, and a winner of an Impact Africa Summit award for “Health Influencer on Media.”  In 2025, he led an outreach on cervical screening for over 600 women and men in underserved communities in Lagos, Nigeria and in 2026, he led another outreach that catered to the cervical screening of over a 1000 people in Abuja, Nigeria. 

19. Ibi Ibru 

Ibi Ibru is a certified financial planner, wealth manager and personal finance educator with a mission to help women manage and grow their wealth through intentional financial planning. She is the founder and lead Financial Advisor at Moneystart, an award winning financial planning firm, she has helped her clients start investing, manage their money better, increase their overall income and positively re-engineer their mindset towards money, with over a decade of experience in the world of corporate finance and wealth management. When she is not working as a financial manager, Ibi focuses on empowering women through the “Mum Fund” a movement for financial independence for Nigerian mums. In 2025, she started an event to host mothers in Nigeria to have conversations on financial insecurity, independence and creating a path to wealth and in 2026, she held the second edition. 

20. Ken Henshaw

Ken Henshaw is a Nigerian climate activist, and the executive director of “We The People,” a civil society organization operating in Port Harcourt and Calabar. He is a leading climate activist who discusses the danger of corporate pollution in the Niger Delta, while also challenging and exposing ecological degradation in the region. His work focuses on exposing the environmental danger which is being done to the largest oil-producing region in Nigeria and also exposes how climate change has contributed to the rise of Boko Haram. Ken Henshaw was awarded the 2023 Active Citizens Award in the category of climate change by the Budg active citizens awards and as at 2026, Ken is still at the forefront fighting against the growing corporate pollution in Port Harcourt and Calabar. 

21. Aramide Kayode 

Aramide Kayode is a Nigerian educator and the founder of Talent Mine Academy, a non-profit organization that has provided 15 years of free quality education to children in low-income communities in Nigeria. Aramide provides tuition-free, long-term learning opportunities to children who would otherwise be shut out of education, prioritises structure, safety and consistent academic support. Talent mine provides support for children all through their secondary education and in 2026, she announced the creation of a school building, where she would not only support children through school, but also provide the right tools and resources for them to stay learned.

22. Oluchi Enebeli 

Oluchi Enebeli is a Nigerian blockchain technology expert, the visionary behind ‘Web3 Ladies,’ and the co-founder of Crevatal. She is well known for her work in shaping Nigeria’s Web3 ecosystem and for her efforts to bridge the gender gap in the space. Even barely a decade into her career in the blockchain industry, Oluchi is credited with helping to revolutionize the space for women and with creating Web3 Ladies in 2021, a community designed to equip African women with the skills necessary to excel in blockchain and Web3. As of 2025, Oluchi had successfully trained over 100,000 women, with a community spanning Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda. By 2025 Oluchi’s creation had also provided access to 25+ essential work tools and facilitated the development of 24 projects led by women in the web 3 network and had a profile done on her by Vanguard News. 

23. Iyiola Afeez 

Iyiola Afeez is a professional teacher, coach and award-winning educator who has coached over 200 teachers both in Nigeria and internationally. He is the founder of Coachfrika, a transformative social enterprise that focuses on the provision of personalized coaching support to teachers in private and public schools across Nigeria. He is the founder and CEO of Teach SDGS Official, an all-nation, all-volunteer network of educators, working hand-in-hand to connect classrooms to teachers. Afeez is the welfare secretary of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Africa and in 2025, he coordinated a panel session to discuss the creation of sustainable and impactful programs.

24. Adesuwa Giwa Osagie 

Adesuwa Giwa Osagie is a Nigerian journalist, historian, lawyer, founder of Untold Stories, Blue Daisy Media, Anchor at Arise News and podcaster. On her podcast, “The Dirty Lie,” a youth-targeted podcast, she helps bring attention to global historical events and it is one of the leading podcasts in Nigeria dominating this field. On her podcast, “Untold Stories” a platform that focuses on conversations around politics, and other topical issues, Adesuwa has had important political guests like Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu, Former Senate  President Bukola Saraki, and Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose. She is also currently a news anchor at Arise News and is one of the most prominent voices in the Nigerian journalist space and represented Nigeria at the UN General Assembly in 2025.

25. Ayomide Adetoro

Ayomide Adetoro, popularly known as “Jesus Must Be Seen” is a Nigerian firebrand street gospel evangelist known as the founder and convener of “Jesus Must Be Seen,” a radical street evangelism ministry. He is known for his impactful way of worshiping and as a figure that inspires hope and faith in Christians in Nigeria. Before becoming the Evangelist he is now, Adetoro studied computer science and is now a gospel artist well-known for his craft. In 2026, he hosted a 10,000 people prayer walk to the National stadium and led thousands of people in prayer. 

26. Amara Nwuneli 

Amara Nwuneli is a Nigerian-American climate activist, social activist and change maker who is dedicated to empowering young people and partnering with several organizations around the world to make an impact. She is the founder of “Preserve Our Roots and has championed campaigns to create awareness about climate change, and has led youth support and mobilization to change the current course of the climate crisis through climate education courses and bootcamps, educational hubs, informational videos, social media presence and local projects, towards ensuring the varying impacts of climate change are reduced. Amara also contributes to the provision of relief assistance to the victims of flooding and other climate issues in underserved communities and in 2025 she was awarded the title of “Earth Prize” and in 2026, she spoke at the COP30 and COP32 Youth presidencies for climate change.

27. Rena Wakama 

Rena Wakama is a Nigerian professional basketball coach and former basketball player who now serves as the head coach for the Nigerian national basketball team, the head coach of Hive BC and as an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky. While still working as a basketball player, she joined the D’Tigress where she played for the team at the 2015 Women’s Afrobasket tournament in Cameroon where Nigeria finished third. She also represented Nigeria’s First Bank at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women during her career as a player. In 2026, Rena led the Nigerian team to being the first African team to qualify for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup pre-qualifier. Following their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.

28. Maya Horgan Famodu

Maya Horgan Famodu is a partner at Ingressive, a firm dedicated to helping firms and businesses expand across Africa. She is also an entrepreneur and the founder of Ingressive Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in African companies. Maya, alongside two others, also co-founded Ingressive 4 Good, a nonprofit dedicated to providing scholarships, technical training, and talent placement for African youth and has spent almost a decade working to create career paths and opportunities for the underprivileged youths in the continent. Maya boasts of a career spanning over a decade, with much of it spent addressing business challenges, especially financial ones. In 2026 she was recognized as one of the 10 women leading the digital banking innovation in Africa by Crest Africa and was nominated by the World Economic Forum as one of the Young Global leaders. 

29. Kayode Okikiolu

Kayode Okikiolu is a broadcast journalist, producer and television anchor known for anchoring news and current affairs programmes on Channels Television. He began his career in broadcasting at Salt FM 98.1 and the Beat 97.9 FM in Ibadan, and later transitioned into the television broadcasting industry by joining Channels Television, where he has served as a senior anchor and producer. Some of the programmes he has anchored are “News at 10,” “Politics Today,” and the breakfast programme “Sunrise Daily.” In December 2025, Kayode was named Newscaster of the Year at the Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) and is hailed for being one of the most politically vocal journalists in the country.

30. Favour Ofili 

Favour Ofili is a Nigerian sprinter who competes in the 100m and 200m and 4 x100m relay. Favour made her debut at the Olympics in the women’s 200 m at the 2024, where she finished 6th at the finals. She began her career as an athlete while still in secondary school in 2014 and by 2019, she had earned the title of female athlete of the meet at the 2019 African Under-18 Championships after winning the 200 and 400 metres with new personal bests in both. Favour is the current world record holder of the 150m category, after she broke the record in 2025 at the Adidas Atlanta City Games in a time of 15.85s. By doing so, she also became the first woman ever to run 150 metres in under 16 seconds breaking Shaunae Miller-Uibo’s previous record of 16.23s. 

31. Chioma Nwakanma 

Chioma Nwakanma-Akanno popularly known as “Dr Zobo” is a general practitioner, women’s health advocate, reproductive health physician and content creator. Chioma is notable for giving free health tips to Nigerians, with a huge focus on destigmatizing reproductive health, and advocating for the health of women and young girls. With her platform, she has been able to educate and also create a space for women who are struggling with their reproductive health, menstrual health and sexual health. Chioma is a global health leader, the student union president of the number 1 school of public health in the UK and a Chevening awards scholar, who in 2026 was spotlighted by Guardian Woman as one of the individuals leading the future of global health. She was also on a panel by the “Impacting Training Room” in 2026, where she led a session on mental wellness and emotional intelligence. 

32. Alma Asinobi

Alma Asinobi is a travel and digital content creator who built a career by documenting her travels across the globe. She gained prominence in Nigerian media in 2025 for her attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest tune to visit all seven continents, while making use of a Nigerian passport. 

Alma shared that her goal was to put a spotlight on the discrimination faced by passport holders from third-world countries, and although she completed the journey despite several hurdles, she did not meet the required time frame. Alma set a record for the most signatures on a single piece of travel memorabilia, using a Nigerian flag. Alma through her content and her exploits as a traveler has been able to bring global attention to the restrictions facing Nigerian travelers, and in 2025 due to her Guinness World record attempt, she was able to put a spotlight on the restrictions on the Nigerian passport. 

33. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri 

Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri is a Nigerian lawyer, human rights advocate and the executive director of “Spaces for Change,” a civil society organization focused on gender inclusion, civil rights, and energy policies in Nigeria. She contributes articles, commentary and public interest analysis to Nigerian media platforms including Premium Times and has been featured in policy and academic outlets such as Verfassungsblog, Just Security, Radical Housing Journal as well as a feature in The Christian Science Monitor. Under her leadership, “Spaces for Change” has collaborated with the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Global Subsidies Initiative on multi-country research into gender and fossil fuel subsidy reform. In the last 12 months, Spaces for Change has planned outreaches to 10 local communities in Nigeria, 5 local government areas and over 1000 to equip Nigerians with the tools needed to organize, advocate and protect themselves and their homes. 

34. Nathaniel Bassey 

Nathaniel Bassey is a Nigerian singer, pastor, gospel songwriter, trumpeter and community organizer. Nathaniel started his career as a musician in the church where he then joined the Rhodes Orchestra and played the trumpet for two years. He was a trumpeter who composed a song at the visit to Stella Obasanjo, the late wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2017, he started the “Hallelujah Challenge” a community praise and worship event that yearly brings him and other believers together to worship for an hour, in 2021, the challenge was held from 1 to 21 February and HallelujahChallenge2025 was held from February 10 to March 1, 2025. He has received praise and recognition for his leadership efforts in the gospel community, and in 2025 he ministered at the U.S. Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., held in connection with Donald Trump’s inauguration. 

35. Samson Itodo 

Samson Itodo is a Nigerian lawyer, a renowned community leader, activist and the executive director of “YIAGA Africa,” a civic organization founded to promote democracy across Africa. Over the last decade, he has worked to facilitate the inclusion of young people in politics and promote electoral integrity. One of his biggest achievements has been the successful campaign #NotTooYoungToRun to lower the minimum age for elective office in Nigeria. The campaign was later adopted by the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community for the West African States. Samson is currently a member of the board of IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) and the Kofi Annan Foundation. He has worked with the organization in several African countries to mitigate electoral and political violence. Samson is one of the individuals ensuring a safe and fair election for Nigerians in the coming elections and in 2026, he has contributed heavily to promoting the importance of a free and fair election in 2027. 

36. Yeside Olayinka-Agboola 

Yeside Olayinka-Agboola popularly known as “Oloricoitus” is a Nigerian public health strategist, intimacy educator, and a content creator working to dismantle reproductive health stigma. Yeside is also the founder of “FlowVantage Collective,” a community tackling period poverty, empowering young girls and women, and sharing menstrual health education. In 2025, Yeside led an outreach that saw the education of over 2000 girls on vital period care, and a vocational skill that taught them how to create reusable menstrual pads using local materials. Through her own personal community, she has been able to share reproductive health advice and education to women, while dismantling myths and stereotypes about illness like Breast Cancer, and HIV. She also uses her platform to share tips and information about puberty for parents of young children, to assist them in navigating a difficult transition in the lives of their children.

37. Aisha Hamman 

Aisha Hamman is a Nigerian lawyer, human rights advocate and creator behind Lift Africa Foundation, a non-profit organization that began in Northern Nigeria as a way to provide pro bono legal services to victims and survivors of gender based violence. Aisha has won awards for her work in the fight against human right violations and inequality and is known for her work as an advocate for gender-inclusive structures and empowerment. In her leadership role, Aisha has worked with initiatives to provide support for thousands of young women and girls, including reintegrating over 3000 out-of-school children back into the educational system. Aisha is also notable for her contribution to the movement of securing legal convictions against abusers in gender-based violence and human rights abuse cases across Northern Nigeria. In the last few years, she has spoken at the UN and recommended the establishment of youth advisory boards and assisted in creating food relief programs for the underprivileged. In 2025 Aisha led a 16-day activism outreach and also marched to end violence against women and young girls in Kano state. 

38. Rasheedat Busayo Ajibade 

Rasheedat Busayo Ajibade is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for the French Première League club, Paris Saint-German and is also the captain of the Nigerian women’s national football team. Before making her competitive debut for the senior team at 2018 WAFU Women’s Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, Rasheedat represented Nigeria. In 2017, she was named first in a top 10 list of most promising young footballers on the African continent by Goals.com and in 2024, she captained the Nigerian team at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. On 26 July 2025, they won the tournament after a 3-2 victory over hosts Morocco, she was named Player of the Tournament and in 2026, Rasheedat captained the Super Falcons at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Ajibade led Nigeria to quarter-final qualification following a group stage recovery. 

39. Jimoh Ibrahim 

Jimoh Ibrahim is a Nigerian politician, businessman and philanthropist who is the ambassador of Nigeria to the United Nations, and was formerly a senator representing Ondo south Senatorial district from 2023 to 2025. In 2026, he resumed office as the Nigerian representative for the United Nations and through his own philanthropic deeds has been able to tend help to Nigerians in  need. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of Global Fleet Group, a diversified conglomerate based in Nigeria, with business interests and subsidiaries in neighboring West African countries.

40. Adenike Oladosu 

Adenike Oladosu is a Nigerian climate change activist and one of the most recognized African voices for climate action with impact that spans grassroots advocacy and international policies about the planet. She is also the founder of I Lead Climate Action Initiative, and a climate champion who works closely with “Education Cannot wait” the global fund for education in crises. Adenike has also written over 60 articles on the crisis surrounding women, and has represented Nigeria at global UN climate summits, and has been awarded and recognized by Amnesty International as an “Ambassador of Conscience,” the Humboldt Climate Protection award and BBC 100 women award, making her one of the youths shaping the future of the continent. In 2025, she led a conversation at the COP30 on the food and agriculture crisis, and the impact of climate change on the feeding of Nigerians. 

41. Uche Pedro 

Uche Pedro is a Nigerian entrepreneur and the founder of BellaNaija, one of Nigeria’s top blogs and media tech brands leading the entertainment and lifestyle content industry. Before founding Bella Naija 20-years-ago, Uche began her career working for Cadbury and Shell Canada. She is an award-winning media and entertainment personality, and in 2016, she was awarded the African Blogger of the year award at the Nickelodeon’s kids choice awards and in 2017, she was invited by the Obama foundation for its first ever summit. She was named in 2020 on the Forbes “Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women” list. She is also an advocate for women in the media, and is passionate about impacting her community and nurturing the next generation. She is the founder of #BNDoGood, an impact -driven initiative which consistently supports a wide variety of non-profits and social impact organizations including LEAP Africa, Slum2School, Django Girls, Junior Achievement Nigeria and a long list of others. She was honored with a Frown Awards by UNFPA/UNICEF for her efforts to protect the right of every girl child and contribution to the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria. Through her position on BellaNaija, in 2026 Uche led a conversation on “Gender Equitable Storytelling In The AI Age.” 

42. Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke 

Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke is a 16-year-old autistic teenager, contemporary abstract artist with vibrant works exhibited in galleries and museums across the continent. He is a two-time Guinness World Record holder and in 2026, he broke the record with a 687km ride from Enugu to Lagos in support of autism, making him the official global record holder for the youngest person to cycle 100 miles (160.9km). He also received recognition for cycling through seven states in Nigeria and has become one of the most awarded world-record holders in Nigeria, as a teenager. Kanyeyachukwu is the youngest recipient of the Flame of Peace award. 

43. Mo Abudu 

Mosunmola Abudu, professionally and popularly known as Mo Abudu, is one of the biggest names in the Nigerian film industry. She is a media mogul, philanthropist and former Human Resources management consultant, largely known for being the founder of Ebonylife, one of the biggest film companies and media companies in Nigeria today. Mosunmola has been recognized by Forbes Africa as the first African woman to own a Pan-Africa TV channel (2013), and was listed as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Global TV by The Hollywood Reporter in 2013. In 2025, she ranked 98 on Forbes World’s Most Powerful Women list and in 2026, she announced the creation of the first ever UK cinema that is exclusively dedicated to showcasing African cinema, art and fashion.

44. Jessica Oji 

Jessica Oji is a Nigerian-American women’s shot put and discus throw athlete, who after beginning her career as an American athlete switched her allegiance to Nigeria in February 2026 and went on to break records. Jessica first broke the Ivy League record in December 2025 with a mark of 17.72 m (58 ft 1.75 in), before going on to break it four more times at the Penn Elite Meet in a mark of 18.45m (60′ 6.5″). She made her debut for Nigeria in 2026 and broke the long-standing African record of 18.43 m set by former Nigerian thrower Vivian Chukwuemeka in 2003, and has currently ranked No. 30 in women’s shot put. Representing Nigeria at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, she won a silver medal on her debut, becoming the first Nigerian woman to win a medal in the event since Vivian Chukwuemeka at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. At the 2026 World U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Jessica claimed gold, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for a medal in a women’s field event.

45. Dr Victor Ugo 

Dr Victor Ugo is a Nigerian medical doctor, mental health advocate and founder of Mentally Aware Initiative (MANI) since its inception in 2015, Mentally Aware NG has grown into one of the largest youth-led mental health support and advocacy networks in the African continent. Mentally Aware has been at the forefront of providing crisis support, reducing stigma and running distress hotlines for youth in Nigeria. In 2020, under his leadership MANI began a project called “Bridging The Gap” to step into schools across Nigeria to teach and open up conversations on mental health struggles and in 2026, the project came to a close. Mentally Aware has continued to advocate for the importance of conversations about mental health illness and has contributed to the destigmatization in Nigeria and this year, it is recognized as one of the most reliable mentally health assistance services in Nigeria. 

46. Halimat Magaji 

Halimat Magaji is a content creator, marketing leader, faith-driven community leader, sickle cell warrior and advocate, and founder of the “Warrior Clinic Ng,” a non-governmental organization that was created to assist marginalized communities achieve systemic change through advocacy, policies and community action. Halimat has been advocating for the voices of sickle cell warriors in Nigeria to be heard for over a decade and in May 2026, she had her first flagship event for sickle cell warriors to discuss the limitations facing people with sickle cell, from health to career and educational limitations. She is at the forefront of building a community for people who have faced challenges because of their genotype and are striving to find solutions to make their lives easier.

47. Folorunso Alakija 

Folorunso Alakija is a Nigerian businesswoman, philanthropist and the group managing director of the Rose of Sharon Group and executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited. In 2014, Forbes ranked Alakija as the 96th most powerful woman in the world. As of 2021, she was the wealthiest woman in Africa with an estimated net worth of $1 billion. She established  the Rose of Sharon Foundation, which provides scholarships and business grants to widows and orphans and donated a skills acquisition center to Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), a higher educational institution located in Lagos. In 2025, Alakija funded and donated the Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital to Osun State University, a 250-bed teaching hospital reportedly valued at ₦34 billion.

48. Adekunle Olopade 

Adekunle Olopade is a Nigerian TV host, model, reality star and founder of “Protect The Boy Child Initiative,” a non-governmental organization created in 2026 to provide mentorship, and education for young Nigerian boys. The initiative aims to protect young Nigerian boys who are at risk of being victims of violence, sexual abuse and a growing gender gap in the way boys are raised. In July, the organization announced their first project, a documentary titled “Close The Gap” marking the first major project under the organisation’s landmark “2026: The Year of The Man” campaign. Through structured mentorship, advocacy, and direct intervention, the organisation works to ensure that young men are actively included in vital conversations surrounding gender, development, and social progress, Adekunle aims to raise a new generation of young Nigerian men while also shining a light to the unspoken challenges facing young boys in Nigeria.

49. Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti

Ifedayo Durosinmi Etti is a Nigerian business executive, finance expert, and author who founded Herconomy. Before starting Herconomy, Ifedayo first founded a company called “Parliamo Bambini,” born out of the need for an indigenous Nigerian baby-furniture company, which eventually led her to win the Tony Elumelu Foundation award as an entrepreneur. She went on to build her company, Herconomy (formerly AGS Tribe), a fintech company created to empower women by awarding business grants, fellowships, and scholarship. In the early stage of her business, she was able to raise $600,000 through crowdfunding on social media, to finance the first disbursement of grants to women in need of them. In 2026, Herconomy was selected to join the first cohort (100 founders) of the IFC’s She Wins Program out of 3000 applicants, and came out as the winner of a $20,000 investment grant. 

50. Olumide Idowu 

Olumide Idowu is a Nigerian youth campaigner, climate change activist and the co-founder of the International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI Africa), Climate Wednesday and Nigerian Youth Climate Coalition. He began his career in activism and in 2016 she became a member of the executive board and African regional director of the International Youth Federation and in 2018 he worked as the Nigeria country manager for Climate Scorecard, an initiative of Global Citizens’ Initiative,(TGCI) and EarthAction. Olumide contributed to the creation of a monthly country News Brief called Action Alert highlighting activities that impeded the Paris agreement  implementation, solutions and relevant stakeholders to drive needed action and also worked on a mobile app to help citizens report on waste management and disaster risk reduction. In 2026, he was named one of the top four finalists for the award for “Climate Change Activism” at the Active Citizen Awards. 

51. Ololade Ajayi 

Ololade Ajayi is a feminist, human rights defender, award-winning poet and podcast host whose activism centers on amplifying the voices of survivors of violence in Nigeria. She is the founder of DOHS Cares Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides documentation against gender based violence, and fights against it. Since beginning DOHS cares in 2023, DOHS has contributed to the fight against femicide by Nigeria by holding walks, workshops, physical and virtual classes to support victims and spotlight abuse. In 2026, DOHS contributed to the development of a bill against femicide in Nigeria (The VAPP act review) and Ololade spoke at the National Assembly during a meeting on the Femicide Prevention Bill.

52. Emeka Offor 

Emeka Offor is a Nigerian oil magnate, philanthropist and entrepreneur. He is the former chairman of Erhc Energy Inc and the CEO of Chrome Group, one of West Africa’s leading oil and gas conglomerates. He is also the founder of the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, which he created to help people in need to become independent and self-sufficient. The “Sir Emeka Offor” foundation has been working since the 90s to provide for underprivileged youths in Nigeria and in 2026, they donated books to the Lagos university teaching hospital and also marched to end polio in Nigeria. They have provided health, financial and educational assistance to Nigerians for over three decades.

53. Odunayo Eweniyi

Odunayo Eweniyi is a business executive and a digital activist, known for being the CEO and Co-founder of PiggyVest, and the co-founder of the Feminist Coalition. She has also founded other organizations like FrontDESK, FirstCheck Africa and 99 Startups. Piggyvest is known as one of the most secure online savings platforms, making savings easier and it has been lauded by many Nigerians for protecting clients’ funds and delivering proper returns on investments. In 2025, under her leadership, Piggyvest achieved over 1.3 trillion in user payouts and crossed 6 million active users leveraging digital savings and investment features.

54. Adesuwa Imasekha

Adesuwa Imasekha is a Nigerian executive leader, investment strategist and founder of “WIN” (Women Impacting Nigeria” Adesuwa started WIN in a bid to navigate and bridge the gap she noticed in corporate and education spaces in Nigeria. Under her leadership, WIN has contributed heavily to women empowerment in Nigeria and the sustainability development goals of young girls and women, including impacting over 800,000 women and children since its creation. She currently sits on several boards across energy, agriculture, education, and technology sectors and in 2026 at the Africa Social Summit, WIN participated in conversations on shaping diverse communities and inclusive approaches to shaping the continent.

55. Toyin Ibitoye 

Toyin Ibitoye is a Nigerian sports journalist and broadcaster who works at Channels Television. Toyin also served as Media Officer of the Nigeria National Football team (the Super Eagles) from 2015 to 2020 and was later named NFF Press Officer for Team Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Ibitoye received the Most Popular TV Sports Presenter (Male) award at the 2013 Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards and also received first and second place honours for Football Journalist of the Year (TV) at the Nigeria Pitch Awards. In 2026, he was named winner of the Family United By Sports (FUBS) Personality of the Year award for 2025.

56. Tony Elumelu 

Anthony Onyemaechi Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur, investor, banker and philanthropist. He is the founder of The Tony Elumelu foundation, United Bank for Africa, Transcorp and Heir Holdings. In 2015, Elumelu committed $100 million to create 10,000 entrepreneurs across Africa over the next 10 years through the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme – a Pan-African entrepreneurship initiative designed to empower African entrepreneurs through a multi-year programme of training, funding, and mentoring, In 2025, he was included in Ranks Africa Magazine’s list of the “100 Most Impactful People in the Energy Sector.” In 2026, he was included in TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Philanthropy of 2026.

57. Uzo Njoku 

Uzo Njoku is a Nigerian born, US-raised visual artist, designer and art curator who went viral in 2025 for challenging the excessive renting costs in Lagos. Uzo is known for her vibrant pattern striking figurative paintings, and portraits that celebrate Black joy and identity. Uzo’s viral tweet on the rent prices in Nigeria triggered a conversation of tribalism in Nigeria and effectively contributed in starting a much-needed conversation on bigotry and the need for rent-control in Lagos. She inspired many Nigerians, even those in diaspora to connect with their identity as Nigerians outside of tribe and culture. 

58. Isime Esene 

Isime Esene is a Nigerian media and communications professional currently serving as a special assistant on media and communications to the Minister of Communications Innovation & Digital Economy in Nigeria. He has experience in journalism, public relations, and marketing communications, with a focus on education and digital policy. Esene was appointed to be the special assistant to Nigeria’s minister of communications in 2023, and in this position he is in charge of strategic communications planning and stakeholder engagement in order to further Nigeria’s digital economy. In 2026, he contributed to a panel session focused on the digital violence women face encouraged by the use of AI and deepfakes. 

59. Kanyinsola Ajayi 

Kanyinsola Ajayi is a Nigerian sprinter and the current African record holder for over 60 meters and the Nigerian national champion in the 100 metres in 2024. This 21-year-old’s athletic career has been chronicled with high achievements including the title of the national record over 100 metres in 2026 and a winner of a bronze medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Kanyinsola also competed in the United States and won the 2026 NCAA indoor championships over 60 metres and the 100 metres at the 2026 NCAA outdoor championships. His athletic career began in Ikorodu, Nigeria where he won both sprints at the 2021 Maltina School Games and set a personal best of 10.26 seconds for the 100 metres at the second AFN All-Comers meet at Yabatech Sports Centre in 2022.

60. Temitope Okunnu 

Temitope Okunnu is a multiple award-winning thought leader, and trailblazing in climate justice and activism in Nigeria. She has contributed heavily to educating Nigerians on climate education, environmental sustainability and is leading a grassroots movement to challenge the water crisis faced by Nigerian households through her innovative program “Zero Household Waste.” She is the founder of FABE International Foundation, and the CEO of Tidy Nigeria and EcoSchoolsNG in Nigeria. Temitope is dedicated to empowering Nigerian women and youth and has contributed heavily to the education of young people through her non-governmental organization, Eco Schools Nigeria and in 2026, FABE international foundation celebrated 20 years of pushing for a sustainable future in Nigeria, and the empowerment of over 130,000 students and 7000 women on advancing climate literacy, up cycling and community sustainability. 

61. Akinola Davies Jr 

Akinola Davies Jr. is a British-Nigerian writer, visual artist and film maker who is best known for his debut film “My Father’s Shadow” which several awards at the 2026 AMVCA and also became the first Nigerian film selected for Cannes’ official selection,winning the Caméra d’ Or- special mention. Akinola has created music videos and commercials for brands like Gucci, Kenzo, Mulberry, Acne Studio, Louis Vuitton and many more. He also won a BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut and started a conversation on the importance of funding Nigerian and African Films. 

62. Davida Paul

Davida Paul is an internationally recognized debate educator, passionate about the power of reason to shape better societies. Legally trained and globally minded, Davida combines 8 years of experience in debate education with a background in law and civic advocacy.

She is the Founder of the Davida Omosomi Empowerment (DOE) Foundation, where she leads initiatives that strengthen youth voices, expand access to education, and promote holistic development.

From inception in November 2025 to date, Davida has facilitated the training of 58 schools, given out 101 scholarships, hosted a National Essay Competition, co-hosted the Abuja Schools Debating Tournament, and trained African teams to compete in three Ethics and Philosophy events across Europe (for the first time) with her students ranking second place and qualifying for the International Grand Finals. She also recently coached the Moroccan National Debate Team to three unanimous wins at the World Schools Debate Championships in Kenya amidst 70+ nations. 

In Davida’s words, “Every child deserves the opportunity to discover who they are, and what they can become”.

63. Udodi Onwuzurike

Udodi Onwuzurike is a Nigerian sprinter who specializes in the 200m category, and although born in the United States, he represents Nigeria in international competitions. He was the gold medallist at the World Athletics U20 Championships in 2021, and in 2023 he ran the 100 metres in 9.92 seconds at Sacramento becoming the 50th man to break 10 seconds for 100 metres and 20 seconds for 200 metres. At the 2026 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, in the 200 meters, he finished second, claiming the silver medal with a season’s best time of 22.09 seconds, also helping Nigeria win bronze at the 4 × 100 metres relay.

64. Rafiatu Folashade Lawal 

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal is a Nigerian weightlifter who has several gold gold medals in her categories including at 2019 the African Games where she won the gold medal in the women’s 59 Kg event. Rafiatu won the gold medal in the women’s 59kg event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England, and also represented Nigeria at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. In 2026, she won a medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Championships at the 58kg event and has participated in several competitions across continents. She also set new Commonwealth Games records in the Snatch (90 kg), Clean & Jerk (116 kg) and Total (206 kg).

65. Odusote David 

Odusote David known by his fans as “PlaywithTomide” is a Nigerian gamer and streamer with a community built off the fame of his entertaining streaming content. He is an esports coach, digital content creator and the recognized number 1 gaming influencer in the Nigeria, and although the gamer’s major content focuses on Call of Duty, EA Sports FC and football banter, he is also known for his contribution to training young boys who are interested in gaming by working alongside the 2026 Boycode Africa outreach as a mentor, and he has alluded his commitment to creating a better environment for young boys with an interest in gaming and streaming.

66. Onome Omolola Didih 

Onome Omolola Didih is a 22-year-old Nigerian weightlifter who recently won gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and set a new record in the snatch, clean, jerk and total categories in the 53 kg weight class. In July 2026, she competed at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and won a gold medal in the 53 kg and followed it up setting a new commonwealth record, with 113 kg in the clean and jerk. Onome’s records put her at the top of the list as one of the most impressive weightlifters at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, while also placing her amongst the athletes to look out for in this decade. 

67. Tunde Onakoya 

Tunde Onakoya is a Guinness World Record holding chess player, coach and the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, an initiative that uses chess to help under-privileged children. Tunde holds the world record for the longest marathon chess game and he has held several interventions for children across slums in Lagos, Nigeria. Onakoya has been featured in CNN African voices, and is currently a board member of the New-York City based non-profit “The Gift of Chess.” Since 2018, he has used his position as the founder of Chess in Slums to change the lives of children living in under-developed communities in Lagos, and as of 2021, his initiative had reported over 200 children trained, with many receiving scholarships. In 2026, he became the first Nigerian to receive the “Lideramos Youth Award” for social impact in Barcelona, Spain and also launched a 250 million scholarship fund to help recent graduates in Nigeria gain real and in-demand tech skills. 

68. Angela Olufunmilayo Emuwa 

Angela Olufunmilayo Emuwa is a media executive, journalist and chair of Punch Media Foundation, appointed by the Board of Punch Nigeria Limited in June 2018, before joining the media space, Angela held positions at the Newswatch Communications Limited and also worked in advertising. She is an advocate for children living with disabilities and the President of Autism Parents Association International, APAI, formerly known as Parents Against Autism Initiative, PAAI, and an advocate against climate change. She collaborated with the Dawn project, an organization leading efforts towards combating the impact of climate change in Nigeria, and led the team to plant over 250 trees in Lagos as of 2025. 

69. Fisayo Soyombo 

Fisayo Soyombo is a Nigerian investigative journalist, and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism. He began his media career as an intern for The Guardian, a Nigerian newspaper, before moving to Content Watch, a pro-local content oil and gas magazine. He eventually joined The Cable where he worked with International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) as the editor, and then Sahara reporters as a managing editor. Fisayo is known for his work as an undercover investigative journalist who has unconverted several cases that affect Nigerians who are facing crisis, governmental violence, abuse and corruption amongst others. He is known for putting his life on the line to uncover dangerous cases and in 2025 went undercover to investigate and expose corrupt practices ongoing in a Nigerian crude oil bunkering site. 

70. Raji Faizah 

Raji Faizah is a visual storyteller, multidisciplinary creator, advocate and journalist who is one of the faces and voices behind “We Are GST” an organization that demands justice for Nigerians living under unfavorable conditions. Raji while working with GST has contributed to stopping misinformation and educating Nigerians on the unspoken dangers hidden in Nigerian food products. She has contributed to drawing the attention of the government to harmful products circulating the Nigerian market and has also spoken out against injustice done by the government to innocent Nigerian citizens. Faizah’s bravery and work with GST has saved Nigerians and kept them informed for the last year, and in 2026 has contributed to NAFDAC creating new laws on food handling in Nigeria. 

71. Chukwuebuka Enekwechi

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi is a Nigerian track and field athlete, who specialized in throwing events and is one of the most consistent athletes in Nigeria’s history this decade. He is the 2018 Commonwealth Games Silver medalist and reigning African Champion in the shot put. He is also the 2019 African Games Champion and the reigning Nigerian National Sports Festival Champion and in that same year, he represented Nigeria at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, when he was ranked within the top ten track and field athletes. When he competed at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Enekwechi won the gold medal, becoming the first Nigerian man to win the shot put title at the Games.

72. Ifedayo Agoro 

Ifedayo Agoro is a digital storyteller, content creator, entrepreneur, content marketer, media strategist, community builder and founder of DANG (Diary of A Naija Girl). Before going into the world of media, creativity and entrepreneurship, Ifedayo worked in the oil and gas industry before building a community for women on Instagram, where she remained anonymous for years and served as a safe space for women to share their troubles and experiences, while also seeking help. Since beginning DANG, she has built a community of over 200k women and a successful skincare brand that contributed to soar, and in 2026, she started a program for people looking to build their business with tips and advice from knowledgeable people. 

73. Funke Akindele 

Funke Akindele is a Nigerian filmmaker, producer, politician, actress, activist, director and realtor. Funke came into the Nigerian film industry in 1996, and in 2009 won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She is the second director to gross over a billion naira at the box office and the highest-grossing director in Nigerian box office with a total gross of over ₦4.7 billion. During the World AIDS Day commemoration in December 2024, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) appointed her as the National Goodwill Ambassador for Nigeria, a role focused on promoting HIV prevention and awareness across the country. She is the founder of a non-governmental organization, the Jenifa Foundation, which aims to provide young people with vocational skills and has continued to shed a light on the impact the illness has on the life of its victims in 2026. 

74. Femi Taiwo 

Femi Taiwo is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of INITS Limited, a technology consulting and solutions company. Femi’s journey in tech began in 2005 with web development, and three years later, he founded INITS. He is also the Google developer group organizer for Lagos with a wealth of experience in building for tech. With more than two decades in the tech space, Femi Taiwo is one of the pillars of Nigeria’s tech world, with experience in both African and international tech markets. He is also known for his impact in the existence of the annual Tech fest that happens in Lagos every year, which has become a networking space for people in tech, which has contributed to creating a community for young people in the Nigerian tech ecosystem. In 2025, under his leadership, the DevFest Lagos program recorded thousands of attendants and has begun planning for the 2026 edition. 

75. Calister Ojonugwa Eneleje

Calister Ojonugwa Eneleje professionally known as Cali Sports is a popular Nigerian sports journalist and digital creator who travels around globally to document and discuss major sporting events, with her content of interest ranging from local matches to international and global events like the FIFA World Cup. Since starting her career as a sports journalist, Calister has gotten to meet international players, coaches and also gotten to stand in as an official journalist for international matches all over the world. She began her career in sports media in 2017 by going to radio stations and media houses where she discussed sports and gave her opinions on the players. In 2026, Cali Sports became one of the notable Nigerian journalists covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournaments

76. Samuel Ogazi

Samuel Ogazi is a Nigerian athlete, and sprinter who began his 2025 season in the men’s 300m at the Clemson Invite, finishing 3rd in 34.11s in his only indoor race of the season. Ogazi raced at the Gyulai István Memorial in Budapest, where he returned a time of 45.85s and later made his debut at the World Championships in Tokyo, competing in the heats of the 400m and finishing 5th to bring a close to his 2025 season. At the 2025 NCAA, he won the men’s 400m title in 44.84s, and made history as the first man from Alabama to win the title since Kirani James and only the second Nigerian after Clement Chukwu (in 1999) to win the NCAA Outdoor 400m title.

77. Virtuosi 

Virtuous Irianele popularly known as “Osasbaby” or “Virtuosi” is a Nigerian content creator, brand strategist, artist manager, activist, podcaster (Is This A Safe Space?) writer and founder of creative company, Gratiaco Media. Osas is a well-known for her contribution to the #EndSars protests and her long-history of activism which includes calling out institutions in Nigeria on their injustice, advocating for sexual health awareness for women and in 2026, she was one of the voices advocating for Nigerians to get their PVC in hopes to get more Nigerians to vote. Her documented history as an outspoken activist in women-focused initiatives, also translates into the guests she invites into her podcast. In 2026 Osas was announced as a member of the Meta AI Creator Circle in Nigeria and is one of the pioneer members of X (formerly Twitter) influencers in the country. 

78. Salem King Ibrahim

Salem King Ibrahim popularly known as Salem King is a creator educator, strategic partner, speaker and co-founder of Crea8torium, a community for creators in the world. Salem is credited by many young Nigerians for helping them pave a path into the world of content creation in Nigeria and educating creators and creatives who work in the creative industries on the tools and technologies needed to build a sustainable career. He has also built an impressive reputation as one of the strategic partners who help brands connect to the next generation of African creators. Salem King is one of the key forces driving the creative ecosystem in this generation after starting content creation as an escape from his job as a marketer and in 2026 he started a 101-day challenge to teach creators in Nigeria all they need to know about having a career as a creator. 

79. Adeife Adeoye 

Adeife Adeoye is a content creator, public speaker, entrepreneur and founder of Remote WorkHer, a female-led platform helping ambitious women build careers and search for job opportunities in remote work. The 25-year-old began her career in content creation where she shared her experiences as a remote worker, and her lifestyle choices, quickly becoming a viral creator and one of the go-to accounts for young Nigerian women looking to build a successful career online. In 2026, she was invited by the Nexford community to speak to the students about skills to make money online, and was recognized by Zikoko as one of the blueprint founders and executives scaling empires in Nigeria. 

80. Israel Ikon 

Israel Ikon is a Nigerian sprinter, who won a Bronze medal over 60m at the Orange and Purple Invitational, also claimed bronze at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 6.52s. At the 2025 Tokyo World Championships, which was his debut, he made a major career highlight for himself when he won his heat in 10.04s, beating Zharnel Hughes and former Olympic Champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs. He then placed 7th in the semis to bring his explosive season to an end. At the Nigerian Athletics Championships in Lagos in July, he created a new personal best record for himself in the 100m category and became the winner of the men’s 100m title in 10.04s.

81. Rita Idehai 

Rita Idehai is a Nigerian environmental activist, geoscientist, social entrepreneur and the founder, chief executive Officer of Ecobarter, a social enterprise focused on sustainable waste management, circular economy solutions, and community‑based climate action in Nigeria. Rita’s work combines waste‑to‑value innovation, empowerment for marginalized groups to address the challenges they face that are climate-related like flooding, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions and public education on environmental sustainability. In 2024, Idehai and Ecobarter were recognised as winners of the YouthADAPT Challenge, a climate adaptation initiative by the Global Center on Adaptation and partners, for projects aimed at combating urban flooding through sustainable waste management in Nigerian communities. Rita led an outreach program in 2026 to advocate for power in local communities in Nigeria and was awarded the award for Environmental and community impact by the PECNA association. 

82. Seyi Oluyole

Seyi Oluyole is a filmmaker, choreographer and humanitarian who has been at the helm of a non-profit organization she established since 2014. Seyi’s non-profit “Dream Catchers DA” operates as a safe home and educational space for vulnerable young girls. While Seyi’s methods revolve around music, arts and dance, she has been able to combine it with formal schooling and life skills in a bid to empower and train children from slums. She and the girls who train under her have gained international recognition several times for their talent but beyond the talent openly displayed on social media, Seyi’s work in ensuring young girls are educated is at the forefront of her purpose and as of 2026, her program is still going strong, and has gained even more international recognition. 

83. Ezekiel Nathaniel

Ezekiel Nathaniel is a Nigerian athlete and sprinter who broke the Nigerian record in the 400m hurdles six times and broke the African Indoor Record over 400m twice in 2025, which was his second 400m of the indoor season, and he also created a new African Record (AR) of 44.92s in Texas, becoming the first African man to break 45s indoors. This broke late Sunday Bada’s previous AR of 45.51s set in 1997, Nathaniel carried this record-breaking feats into the Big 12 Indoor Championships, where he set another AR of 44.74s to win GOLD. In June, the talented athlete was named the 2025 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Outdoor  Track and Field National Athlete of the Year, going undefeated in the 400m hurdles and eventually clinching the NCAA title in his Senior year with a new NR of 47.49s, erasing the 47.86s he set in the semis. He would break the NR once again, clocking 47.31s at the Silesia Diamond League and at the World Championships in Tokyo, he became the first Nigerian since Henry Amike in 1987 to reach the 400m hurdles final at the World Championships.

84. Hauwa Ojeifo 

Hauwa Ojeifo is a sexual violence and mental health activist popularly known as the “Voice of mental health” in Nigeria. She is the founder of She Writes Woman, a non-profit organization working to give mental health a voice in Nigeria, and was also the first person in Nigeria with a mental health condition (Bipolar & PTSD) speak out in the Nigerian parliament about mental health rights and the first Nigerian woman to receive a “Queen’s Young Leader Award” for her work in the sexual violence and mental health space. Hauwa has received a number of awards and achievements including the 2018 MTV EMA Generation Change Award, being recognized and honored as the Possibilities Woman 2017 by IWOW and in 2019, she became an Obama Foundation Leader. Hauwa’s contribution to the advocacy for mental health in Nigeria is immense and has placed her at the top of the list of Nigerian change makers in mental health. In 2026, Hauwa Ojeifo was listed as one of the activists who pushed for the new bill advocating for decriminalizing Suicidal attempts. 

85. Adeniran Bayo 

Adeniran Bayo popularly known as Bayuztv is a Nigerian brand influencer, content creator and philanthropist who has built a platform of running online crowdfunding campaigns to help Nigerians in need. He is notable for his compassionate storytelling when the people he chooses to help, and his intentionality in following up with the Nigerians who he assists, ensuring that they are still living well even after he renders help to them. He is one of the few creators who has made a large impact in giving back to unprivileged Nigerians and in less than a year has helped raise millions in donation funds for underprivileged Nigerians. 

86. Tomike Adeoye 

Tomike Adeoye is a Nigerian actor, entrepreneur, award-winning brand influencer, TV host, vlogger and community leader. Tomike has created community spaces for her followers on social media, from the creation of a faith based fellowship called “A Family That Worships,” which has transcended from just being Nigerian focused to an international community bonding event. She is also notable for her work in funding the marital expenses of brides in her community, which she has been doing for over 4 years now, and in 2026, she funded the marriage ceremony expenses of another bride, making it her 4th bride since she began the initiative in 2022. 

87. Mukoro Michelle 

Mukoro Michelle popularly known as “King Mitchy” is a Nigerian content creator, skit maker and philanthropist who first gained a following on Facebook for her comedic skits and street interviews before pivoting to impacting the lives of underprivileged Nigerians by using her platform to advocate for and assist these individuals. The 24-year-old Delta creator became a household band due to her grassroots humanitarian charity, and in 2024, she began spotlighting the struggles of artisans, homeless people and market women in Nigeria, while also supporting them financially. Michelle is also known for creating content that advocates for minorities and vulnerable groups with a large focus on pregnant underage girls and in 2026, she has brought media attention to vulnerable young girls and women in Nigeria. 

88. Adewunmi Emoruwa 

Adewunmi Emoruwa is the founder and CEO of GST ( We Are Gst) a Nigerian civic engagement and media platform notable for operating as a social justice community and non-neutral media movement that advocates for good governance, gender equality and public advocacy in Nigeria. He is also a global policy leader and investor who has invested in African media startups democratizing access to information including platforms like thescoop.ng and the election network. GST over the last year has been hailed as one of the most consistent media platforms in advocating for good governance and human rights for Nigerians and in 2026, GST has contributed to government agencies putting out new policies that protect the right of Nigerian citizens. 

89. Morenikeji Sanni

Morenikeji Sanni is an activist, influencer, lawyer and music manager who is known for the community she was able to build on X (Formerly Twitter). Through the community she built on the platform, she has been able to raise millions of naira to help fund the education of young Nigerians, with heavy focus on law school aspirants in the last three years. Reni is also known for being outspoken in her fight against gender-based violence and inequality faced by women, even participating in talks, walks and mentorship groups for Nigerian women and girls. In 2024, 2025 and 2026, she helped raise millions to help bar aspirants pay for their law school fees, and also helped them gather money to survive the one-year law school program. 

90. Sunshine Rosman

Sunshine Rosman is an actress, model, Tv personality, activist, and founder of “Available Shoulders,” a charity foundation orphanage home in Nigeria. Under her leadership, Available Shoulders has provided educational assistance, financial assistance and a home for displaced young children and older women in Nigeria. In collaboration with the other volunteers under her organization, Sunshine also donates food and medical assistance to underprivileged Nigerians. She also lends her voice to the fight against gender-based violence and breast cancer in Nigeria, and in 2026 organized outreaches to train young children in Nigeria on vocational skills and also donated food and resources to organizations in the country. 

91. Kofoworola Odozi

Kofoworola Odozi is a Nigerian architect, social editor, media strategist, campaign analyst and one of the narrators for “We Are GST)” a public and general advocacy organization. Kofoworola is a multi-talented media creative with a background in writing, content creation and social media associate, with a passion for advocacy. She is one of the most notable faces on GST’s platform and has been praised for using her voice and platform to call out all forms of inadequacies in the Nigerian government, opening doors for conversation and change across several industries where Nigerians are often unable to advocate for themselves in 2026 has contributed to NAFDAC creating new laws on food handling in Nigeria. 

92. Jasmine Okafor 

Jasmine Okafor is a social media influencer, filmmaker, actress and philanthropist whose content revolves around a mix of lifestyle creation, skits making and community service. In 2025, Jasmine made a transition into making philanthropy and giving back to the community a definitive part of her career, after beginning charity work in 2020, while also sharing that it became her dee

pest source of fulfilment following the death of her adoptive father (Mr Ibu). Since 2025, she has contributed to helping Nigerians through her foundation Lady Jasmine Foundation, an initiative dedicated to providing shelter, food, education, and support to vulnerable Nigerians. She has also used her platform to highlight the needs of underprivileged Nigerians, opening them up to necessary help. 

93. Osita Obidike 

Osita Obidike popularly known by his social media name “Osita Popcorn” is a popular digital creator, philanthropist and founder of two global charity movements called “RebuildX Africa” and “Dream Machine Africa.” Osita is known for his vocal support of Nigerians living in underdeveloped communities and his viral videos where he does grassroots activism by supporting community projects and giving help to struggling communities in Nigeria. He has a community with millions of followers who also come together to support his philanthropic efforts, and with their help, in the last year, he has raised millions to help Nigerians families who are living in poverty. 

94. Feyi Olopade 

Feyi Olopade is a healthcare tech entrepreneur and innovator who is highly regarded for her contributions to expanding access to healthcare. She is the founder of CancerIQ, a fast-growing precision health platform that allows providers to identify, evaluate, and manage entire patient populations based on individual genetic risk factors. The over-13-year-old company is known for its significant contributions alongside Feyi during the COVID-19 pandemic. This made confirming health status easier and assisted providers in continuing to identify high-risk patients with potential cancer diagnoses, replacing lost in-person visit volume, and triaging care to avoid a second wave of COVID-19-related deaths. In 2019, she was named to Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 list, recognizing all the work she had done in health tech. As of 2026, under her leadership, CancerIQ has secured millions in capital (including a $14 million funding round) to expand AI-driven early cancer detection software and integration with electronic health records (EHRs) and she herself had published research proving that the platform successfully quadruples genetic testing uptake for non-Hispanic Black patients, helping dismantle long-standing healthcare inequalities.

95. Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola

Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, professionally known as Dj Cuppy is a Nigerian disc jockey, music producer, musician  and founder of Cuppy Foundation, a charity organization created to contribute to grassroots efforts and causes for disabled and underprivileged groups in Nigeria, with major focus on children. In 2024, Cuppy became the first British Nigerian to host an opening session at the United Nations General Assembly (UN) and in 2026, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, she worked with the team saving lives at Ogudu primary health care to give hope to Nigerians in need of medical assistance. 

96. Chika Madubuko 

Chika Madubuko is a healthcare entrepreneur and the co-founder of Greymate Care, an AI-driven caregiving platform connecting vulnerable people and the elderly to professional caregivers across Nigeria. The company was born from Madubuko’s personal struggle finding reliable care for her grandmother and addresses a dimension of healthcare for elderly and dependent care that is not often touched on in the Nigerian healthcare system. Her company has created over 40,000 jobs for people working in the healthcare system and is still revolutionizing the healthcare sector in 2026. 

97. Elizabeth Adewale

Elizabeth Adewale is a Nigerian sex educator, sex writer, activist and influencer. After graduating with a first class degree in Chemistry, Elizabeth developed an interest in sexual and reproductive health, bodily autonomy and the influence of culture and misinformation on how sexuality is perceived. She centers her work on providing accurate, accessible, and non-judgmental information about sex and sexuality, which has led her to working with a global company like Marie Stopes this year to share information about sexual and reproductive health and educating women on all they need to know about their bodies. 

98. Fu’ad Lawal

Fu’ad Lawal is the founder, executive director and chief archivist of Archivi.ng, a non-profit digital archive project he began in 2020 to digitize and document historical Nigerian newspapers, stories and print media dating back to the year Nigeria gained independence in 1960. His intention is to stop the erasure of Nigerian media and create a sense of community for Nigerians who want to preserve the historical feats of their loved ones and other Nigerians. Fu’ad encourages Nigerians with bits and pieces of history to submit their print and media to archivi.ng to ensure that everyone participates in preserving media and history. As of 2026, Archivi.ng is one of the most resourceful digital historical archives in Nigeria. 

99. Stephanie Okereke 

Stephanie Linus Okereke is an actress, advocate, filmmaker, UNFPA goodwill ambassador, and founder of “Extended Hands,” a non-governmental organization. Stephanie began her career as a model and was the runner up for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant of 2002, and has been in the Nollywood industry for over 2 decades. In March 2017 she was appointed as a Regional Ambassador for the UNFPA, and she held this position until 2020, in March 2021, as part of her campaign against gender-based violence on the female folk, the actress released two short movies. Through her NGO, Stephanie has contributed to mental health awareness campaigns across Nigeria, she has also contributed to de-campaigning child marriage and gender-based violence in the country. Stephanie continues to advocate for the need for awareness for women’s health and in 2026 she directed a film to share the extent of the seriousness of advocacy for women’s health. 

100. Chioma Agwuegbo

Chioma Agwuegbo is a Nigerian storyteller, tech leader, contributor in the tech community and the head of TechHerNG, a group that puts work towards helping Nigerian and young girls learn how to use computers safely and efficiently. She spent a major part of her career in news and media, while also working on teaching young women how to code and become leaders in tech, and advocating for women to get the same opportunities as men in the tech industry. At the 2026 UN summit, TechHerNG led a conversation on how women face violence and harm online using statistics from a toxic tech report created by TechHerNG and also led an outreach to Nigerian schools to lead conversations on digital safety for young people.