YNaija 100: Women Who Inspire Nigeria

There are women who have written their names in the stars, in every industry in Nigeria. From creating in the technological space to making history in the banking sector and across a diverse array of industries, these women have left their mark and continue to inspire us. This list is a comprehensive list of 100 women who inspire us in their respective fields.

1. Funke Akindele

Funke Akindele is a Nigerian filmmaker, actor, director, producer, business owner, and politician. With a career spanning decades, Funke started out as an actor and has built a reputation as the highest-selling director and producer in Nigeria and West Africa, with movies that have grossed billions of Naira. She has earned several awards for her movies and is also well known as a realtor and politician. Funke Akindele also owns the top three highest-grossing Nollywood films, and has five films on the list for the top ten highest-grossing movies in Nigeria, and has received several awards, including the Best Actress in a Comedy at the 2016 and 2017 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, and won the same awards in 2020 and 2022. 

2. Renike Olusanya

Renike Olusanya is the co-founder of Bawsty, a clothing brand created three years ago to cater to the needs of busty women who do not have access to form-fitting clothes that consider their body type. She is also an award-winning digital artist and an illustrator, who has created art for book covers and other media projects. By 2025, Bawsty had become one of the best-known Nigerian brands for slow fashion and clothes designed to fill an urgent need.

3. Bolanle Austen-Peters

Biodun Austen-Peters is a lawyer, entrepreneur, producer and director with roots in film and theatre. Biodun is the founder of Terra Kulture and BAP Production, and maintains a position as a prominent figure in the Nigerian industry. She has movies like 93 Days and The Bling Lagosians under her credits, and the musical “Sara” under her belt. Her creation of Terra Kulture created a central force for culture in Lagos, which has contributed heavily in the promotion of art, culture and lifestyle in Nigeria.

4. Hilda Baci

Hilda Baci is a three-time Guinness World record holder, a restaurateur and a Nigerian chef who gained worldwide recognition and popularity for her attempt at the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking hours, an attempt at which she succeeded. Hilda’s attempt at the Guinness world which was cooking with 93 hours 11 minutes in May 2023, and a second attempt In September 2025, where Guinness World Records confirmed her feat for cooking the largest quantity of Jollof. She has built a career as a chef, an influencer, a food creator, and a pioneer of a cooking competition that awards winnings of millions of Naira in gifts.

5. Stephanie Okocha

Stephanie Okocha is a talent manager, A&R executive and Founder and CEO of Panda Entertainment with over a decade of experience in the industry. Stephanie has built an impressive, successful career working with top talent and global brands. She also served as the Label Services/Country Manager at Immensum Music, a renowned rights and management company based in the USA, and as the Head of Talent at TheBasementGig.

6. Lani Adeoye

Lani Adeoye is one of the most successful interdisciplinary designers in Nigeria, who made a name for herself by becoming the first African to win the SaloneSatellite competition, a design innovation competition. She has been featured in Elle Décor, Wallpaper, Azure and Architectural Digest for her stunning approach to design and construction. Her brand Studio Lani is one of the most sought-after architectural and design brands in the country. Lani Adeoye was also named in Elle Décor’s 2020 list of “Women of the World: 75 Global Female Designers. She has had her work acquired by Vitra Design Museum, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Die Neue Sammlung, while also maintaining a position as a visiting professor at the Parsons New School of Design.

7. Oluremi Martins 

Oluremi Martins is the founder of Re-girl and Texture Science labs, which is the country’s first-ever hair lab. Oluremi created re-girl hair in a bid to revolutionize the hair industry in not only Nigeria, but in Africa. With the creation of Re-girl hair, she introduced a new approach to styling hair and wigs. She also created one of the most successful natural hair brands in the country.

8. Fara Ashiru Jituboh

Fara Ashiru Jituboh is the co-founder and former CEO/CTO of Nigerian fintech Okra. In 2019, Fara started out with Okra, alongside her co-founder in order to build APIs enabling individuals to securely connect their bank accounts to third‑party apps, and was able to raise over $1 million in pre-seed funding, and an additional $3.5 million. Outside of co-founding Okra, Fara boasts of an extensive and impressive work experience that includes Canva, BMW, and JP Morgan. She eventually made a move from Okra in 2025 to become the Head of Engineering at the British startup “Kernel.”

9. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie is a renowned author with books that have been a staple, across two generations. Starting with her books, “The Thing Around Your Neck”, “Half of A Yellow Sun” and “Americanah,” Chimamanda is one of the greatest authors out of Nigeria. Chimamanda is recognized globally as one of the most prolific figures in postcolonial feminist literature, with a career as a public speaker who has addressed many commencement ceremonies, including at Williams College, Harvard University, and American University. Her most recent work “Dream Count,” was very well received, and with over two decades under her belt, Chimamanda Adichie is one of the greatest writers out of Africa.

10. Bisola Aiyeola

Bisola Aiyeola is a former reality star, actress and director, who finished the Big Brother reality show as a finalist and a first runner-up. Before her time on Big Brother Naija, Bisola was also a contestant at MTN Project Fame West Africa in 2008 where she came 5th, and years later she became a Tv host for Billboard Nigeria, a position she held for two years. After her return from Big Brother Naija, Bisola went fully into her career as an actress, with the additional platform that she had been given by the reality show and has continued to churn out immaculate acting and positioned herself as a great actress.

11. Ejiro Amos Tafiri

Ejiro Amos Tafiri is a Nigerian fashion designer, and the creator of the Ejiro Amos Tafiri brand, a brand that was created to fill the gap for the fashion needs of modern women. Ejiro started her brand almost two decades ago, and has created pieces that are known for their fluidity, elegance and hero-ing a seamless blend of prints, textures and influences birthing timeless traditional glamorous pieces. It is also a sustainable fashion brand. Before launching her fashion brand, Ejiro worked with brands such as “Out of Africa” and “Tiffany Amber.”

12. Titi Ogufere

Titi Ogunfere is a publisher and the creative director at Essential Interiors Consultancy, a company recognized as one of the pioneer interior design companies in Nigeria. In 2021, Titi Ogunfere co-produced Made by Design, a Netflix documentary series that focuses on the documentation of a group of 13 African architects, interior designers, and product designers who live and work in Africa. She is the first President of African descent as the 21st President of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers.

13. Ife Durosinmi Etti

Ifedayo Durosinmi Etti is a Nigerian business executive, finance expert and author who founded Herconomy. She first founded a company called “Parliamo Bambini,” which was born out of the need for an indigenous Nigerian baby furniture company, a creation which eventually led her to win the Tony Elumelu Foundation award as an entrepreneur. Ife went on to build her company, Herconomy (Formerly AGS Tribe) a fintech company that empowers women by giving out business grants, fellowships and scholarships to them. While starting out, she was able to raise $600,000 through crowd funding on social media, Instagram in order to finance the first disbursement of grants and eventually, she was able to secure a collaboration with Amazon, in a partnership aimed at getting business funds to the minority female demographic and recruitment, making her the first Nigerian recruitment partner of Amazon.

14. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is an economist and director-general of the World Trade Organization, who made history when she became the first woman and also the first African to lead the World Trade Organization as director-general. She previously served as the minister for foreign affairs of Nigeria, with her also being the first Nigerian woman to serve two terms as Finance Minister of Nigeria. Dr Ngozi has 25 years of experience as a development economist at the World Bank.

15. Sola Sobowale

Sola Sobowale is a filmmaker, screenwriter, director and producer who has been in the industry for almost three decades. Sola Sobowale first broke into the mainstream market with her role in the premiere of Nigeria’s popular television drama series “Super Story: Oh Father, Oh Daughter”, and continued to build her career on the momentum she gained from her role. One of her most notable roles was in King of Boys, a role that has contributed to her status as one of the greatest actors of her time. She also went on to secure a role in the Netflix series, Anikulapo, another notch added to her title as a legendary actor. She also featured in “The Wedding Party” one of the movies regarded as a great box office movie till date.

16. Toyin Abraham

Toyin Abraham is a filmmaker, actress and director, with a career that has spanned over two decades. She is one of the monumental figures in the industry of her generation, and has featured in movies that have either broken records or made new records. 

As a new director, her directorial debut grossed over 1 billion Naira at the west African box office, securing a position on the list of one of the highest‑earning Nollywood films of all time and a milestone for her directing career, and as an actress she has taken on a diverse range of projects and made her name a staple in the Nollywood industry and continues to build herself as a force to be reckoned with.

17. Ehi Ogbebor 

Ehi Ogbebor, an interior designer, socialite and entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Sayaveth Interiors and Hotels. Ehi is recognized as one of the most prominent interior designers in the Nigerian design scene, with a background in insurance. In 2024, she received recognition as a Top 10 Magazine Female Business Executive of the Year.

18. Mo Abudu

Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as Mo Abudu, is one of the pillars of the Nollywood industry. While her career path did not start in Nollywood but in the HR department, she later went on to create her show “Moments with Mo” which she produced and directed. Mo Abudu also founded Ebonylife Television, a major lifestyle network, which also includes Ebonylife films, Ebonylife studios and they have produced big movies which have gone on to break records, movies like “The Wedding Party,” “Òlòtūré,”and “Chief Daddy 2: Going For Broke.”

19. Chiamaka Nnadozie

Chiamaka Nnadozie is a Nigerian footballer well known for her role as a goalkeeper for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League and for 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 widely regarded as one of the best female goalkeepers in the world and ranked fourth at the 2025 Yashin Trophy.

20. Moyo Ogunseinde

Moyo Ogunseinde is a chartered architect, entrepreneur and developer who boasts of almost two decades of professional experience in the West African real estate and hospitality sector. 

Moyo is the executive director at Uraga Real Estate, and has several important works under her belt and in her portfolio, with the inclusion of Radisson Blu, the Upbeat Centre, and the Anchorage hotel. She also serves on the board of many companies, including the Anchorage hotel.

21. 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.

22. Yetunde Oni

Yetunde Oni is the managing director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank in Sierra Leone, she is the first female managing director and CEO at the bank. Yetunde holds an extensive CV filled with banking experience, with her career starting at Prime Merchant Bank Treasury & Money Markets Group, before moving to Ecobank and eventually Standard Chartered Bank, where she has spent a large portion of her career, and built up her portfolio. She started out as a Senior Account Relationship Manager, rose to become the head of local corporates, and, years later, took on the role of Managing Director & Country Head of their Commercial Banking unit in West Africa, before eventually being appointed as the first female managing director.

23. Pelumi Nubi

Pelumi Nubi made history as the first black woman to drive solo from Lagos to London, completing a 10,000-kilometer journey in 68 days in a small vehicle. Pelumi was awarded and welcomed as a Lagos State Tourism Ambassador upon her arrival in Lagos, and she has continued to document her travels, with 80 countries under her belt.

24. Damilola Olokesusi

Damilola Olokesusi is the co-founder and CEO of shuttlers, one of the top technology-driven and shared mobility start-ups in Nigeria, which has been lauded for its contributions to the tech and Nigerian tourist experience in the country. Shuttlers has made a name for itself as one of the partners of the leading tech event in Nigeria, Google DevFest. Damilola who started her career with a degree in Chemical engineering, was able to revolutionize the industry and create a better brand with her expertise in process engineering.

25. Aibee Abidoye

Aibee Abidoye is a lawyer, and music executive who started out as the general manager at Chocolate City Music, with other seven years of experience at that. She is a prominent figure recognized for her expertise in the licensing, distribution and publishing of indigenous music content for film and television, and she collaborates with platforms like Facebook, Apple Music and YouTube and mobile network operators like 9 Mobile and MTN. She is the first female Executive Vice President of Music following the introduction of the partnership between Warner Music Group and Chocolate City.

26. Jola Ayeye

Jolaoluwa Ayeye who is popularly and professionally known as Jola Ayeye or Jollz, is a well-known podcaster, screenwriter and media personality. She began her career at Big Cabal Media before co-founding her “I Said What I Said” one of the biggest podcasts out of Africa.  Jola Ayeye is also the founder of Happy Noisemakers and Salt and Truth, a production company. As a screenwriter, she has writing credits on a number of TV shows like Far From Home (2022 series) and The Smart Money Woman. Her podcast I Said What I Said boasts of a community of over two hundred thousand people who have followed the podcasters through their almost a decade on air.  She is also one of the founding members of the Feminist Coalition.

27. Omoni Oboli 

Omoni Oboli is a Nigerian actress, script writer, producer, and director. Omoni is one of the big names in the Nigerian movie-making industry and has revolutionized the world of YouTube movies for others in the Nollywood scene. Omoni is the first Nigerian actress to take home the award for Best Actress in two international festivals, in the same year, at the Harlem International Film Festival and the Los Angeles Movie Awards for her role in “Anchor Baby,” one of her major mainstream roles. In 2025, her movie “Love In Every Word” became the highest watched nollywood film on YouTube, gaining over 30 million views and becoming the first movie to cross 1 million views in under 24 hours.

28. Osagie Osarenkhoe

Osagie Osanrenkhoe is a music executive with a career that has spanned over two decades. She is the founder of The Zone Talent Agency Limited, dba The Zone Agency, a talent management and music services company. Osagie is also currently the director of A&R operations Africa at ONErpm. She is also credited for the creation of The Basement Gig, a music showcase platform aimed at spotlighting emerging talent in the Nigerian music industry, and  has worked with artists like Banky W, Reekado Banks, Wizkid, Timaya, Asake and many others, with involvement in the signing of some.

29. Yemisi Edun

Yemisi Edun is the managing director and CEO of First City Monument Bank, and has held the position since 2021. With a degree in chemistry, Yemisi made a pivotal move in her career to the banking sector after obtaining her masters in international accounting and finance, and before her appointment as the CEO of First City Monument Bank, she was the chief financial officer of the bank. Yemisi is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, and also a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control, with an award for “Banker of the year.”Yemisi Ebun is also well known for her heavy contribution to leading First City Monument Bank (FCMB) towards SME financing and earning the bank international recognition for its role in facilitating credit to small businesses.

30. Chef Imoteda

Imoteda Aladeokomo is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef who is known for her extensive work in the Nigerian food industry. With a career that has spanned over a decade, and a recent move into owning her own restaurant, Fired And Iced, Chef Imoteda has built a career out of cooking, hosting and managing restaurants across Lagos. From being a chef at HITK, the creator and hostess of a cooking show that revolved around cooking, managing Mood Lagos, Grey Matter and many more, she has had an amazing trajectory in her career as a chef. Chef Imoteda is currently the owner and founder of Rekoja Candles, Oremi Dinners and Fired And Iced.

31. Ayra Starr

Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, professionally known as Starr, is a singer, songwriter and soon-to-be actor through her being cast as one of the characters in the adaptation of the best-selling book, “Children of Blood and Bones.” In her four years in the industry, Ayra Starr has secured a reputation for herself as one of the top female performers in and out of Nigeria, with Grammy nominations two years in a row. Ayra was an artist on the Coldplay concert, even snagging a feature with the leading boy band. She has worked with legends in both the Nigerian and international industries, securing her position as this generation’s female pop star.

32. Bimbo Ademoye

Bimbo Ademoye is an award-winning Nigerian actress who began her acting career over a decade ago, in a short film titled “Where Talent Lies.” She has featured in leading Nollywood movies like Sugar Rush, Reel Love, Breaded Life and Anikulapo. Her movie “Where Love Lives” which was released on YouTube through her channel crossed 20 million views and received glowing reviews from supporters and watchers in the country, who applauded the actress for her performance in the role.

33. Adaora Umeoji

Adaora Umeoji is a banking executive in Nigeria, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who currently holds the position as the CEO and Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, the first ever in the bank’s history. With a career portfolio that extends over years of experience as a bank executive, and work with Zenith Bank as the Deputy Managing Director for over eight years, she has contributed years of remarkable work to the growth of the bank.

34. Florentina Agu

Florentina Agu is the founder and creator of sustainable fashion brand Hertunba, a brand that has consistently crossed international waters and has been lauded by many as one of the most innovative fashion brands of this generation. Hertunba is known for its vibrant, African leaning designs and designs that tell a story. Florentina is also the winner of the 2024 Clicquot’s Bold Future Award, with a goal to elevate indigenous Nigerian weaving techniques to prestigious status, revitalizing a dying art form and inspiring a new generation of committed artisans who love the craft.

35. Kehinde Smith 

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Kehinde Smith is a serial entrepreneur and investor known for her innovative approach to the beauty, retail, and e-commerce industries in Nigeria. Alongside her sister, Kehinde Smith owns a variety of businesses in Nigeria, including the well-known “The Smith’s” restaurant located in Lagos. She is also the co-founder of Forno, Cafeteria, Maple, and Batters and Brunch, all of which are well-established restaurants in Lagos. Kehinde Smith also owns two hair-care brands and a beauty-care brand. She, along with her sister, is regarded as one of the most respected and prominent entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

36. Omoyemi Akerele

Omoyemi Akerele is a businesswoman, Nigerian executive and entrepreneur who is also the founder and CEO of Lagos Fashion Week and Style House Files. 

Omoyemi Akerele is not only an entrepreneur, she also maintains a role as an advisor in several companies, including Industrie Africa and Jendaya. She is the special advisor to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). She has been an advisor to the MoMA, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the UN, the British Fashion Council and State of Fashion Netherlands, with a career that began in law, Omoyemi has a diverse portfolio spanning legal, advisory, fashion styling, and Zero Oil Ambassador.

37. Kehinde Bankole

Kehinde Bankole is an actress, model and TV host who has been in the industry since as far back as 2003, making her career one of over two decades, that has not stopped her from continuing to thrive even in this decade, with her strong choice of roles that make her standout. Kehinde has always chosen diverse roles that show off her talent, with some of her most prominent roles in this decade being in “Blood Sisters” “Funmilayo Ransome Kuti,” and “Iwaju”. This year, she was announced as one of the lead characters for the “Crown of Blood,” which is a Yoruba adaptation of the popular Shakespeare novel, “Macbeth.”

38. Natasha Hadiza Akpoti

Natasha Akpoti 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 and gained prominence when she presented an investigative report to the National Assembly on 1 March 2018 that exposed corruption at the Ajaokuta steel mill. Since her time as a senator, Natasha-Akpoti has been lauded by many for her contributions to politics for women in the country.

39. Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe

Dr Nneka is the Group Managing Director and CEO of Fidelity Bank PLC. She began her journey with Fidelity Bank a decade ago, as an executive director and received her appointment as the Managing Director and CEO in 2021, snatching the title of the bank’s first female CEO and Managing Director. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe started her career as a legal officer at the now-defunct African Continental Bank, and later worked as a treasury officer at First African Trust Bank. She also worked with Zenith Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. She has several executive positions, providing her an extensive portfolio, with an additional background in structural complex transactions across various sectors.

40. Bolu Babalola 

Bolu Babalola is popularly known for her novels, Love In Color and Honey and Spice which is also being adapted into the screen. However, the author is also a renowned screenwriter and writer who has published in Vice, Vulture, GQ, Cosmopolitan, and Stylist. Bolu Babalola is one of the best writers of her generation, and she is a television and film columnist for Dazed magazine, with her most recent novel Sweet Heat, the sequel to Honey and Spice, Bolu has been able to cement her status as an author who is capable of capturing and maintaining the attention of her readers. 

She has written, executive produced and created a show.

41. Funke Bucknor

Funke Bucknor is well known in the entrepreneurial circles as one of the best event planners, and one of the major pioneers of that field. Funke started her career as a lawyer before pivoting into event planning and creating her brand known as “Zapphire Events” which went on to receive awards and recognition including being featured in CNN’s Inside Africa for planning a Nigerian royal wedding. 

Funke Bucknor has been behind the planning of some of the most high profile events in the country.

42. Uzo Njoku 

Uzo Njoku (Uzoart) is a Nigerian American painter, pattern maker and businesswoman who first gained virality on X (formerly known as Twitter) for her controversial post on the price of rent in Lagos, which eventually turned the tides towards her “Owambe” themed art exhibition, which sold out in Lagos and made her a household name for art enthusiasts.

Uzo has a well-documented history of creating immaculate art pieces, a talent that has carried her through several collaborations with name brands both internationally and locally.

43. Prudent Gabriel

Prudent Gabriel is an award-winning designer, entrepreneur and digital creator who has created a niche for herself in the bridal industry in Nigeria, while not limited to bridal attire, Prudent gained recognition in the country for creating elegant bespoke bridal attires. She is the creative head and founder of Prudential Styling, and Prudential Fashion Academy where she teaches new designers all her tips and tricks on how to create flawless bridal pieces.

44. Tara Fela-Durotaye

Tara Fela-Durotaye is a Nigerian beauty entrepreneur, lawyer, and renowned artist in the bridal makeup industry in Nigeria. Well known for launching the first bridal directory in 1999, Tara is often praised for setting the pace and standards for international make-up studios. Tara Fela-Durotaye also achieved the feat of opening up the first-ever make-up school in Nigeria, and is the founder of House of Tara. House of Tara has over 10,000 representatives all over Africa, with beauty schools and stores spread out over the continent. She was also once listed on Forbes magazine as one of “Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women.”

45. Tubo Bereni

Sandrah Tubobereni is a creative director, and founder of the Brand “Tubo,” a fashion house well known for its delicate, sculptural silhouettes, architectural precision and elegant interpretations of African heritage into fashion. Tubo is also regarded as one of the global voices for contemporary fashion out of Nigeria. With a brand that has been running for over 12 years, Tubo has contributed heavily in shaping the current fashion scene in Nigeria. 

She has styled several celebrities and is known as one of the most sought-after traditional bridal stylists in the country, securely putting her above many in the fashion industry.

46. Miriam Olusanya

Miriam Olusanya is the managing director for Guaranty Trust Bank and is the first woman to ever hold the position, and she has been in the position since 2021. Miriam started her career as a GTB executive trainee almost 3 decades ago, and worked her way to the top as the Group Treasurer and Head of Wholesale Banking, before eventually being appointed as the Managing Director. She also retains a position on the Board of Guaranty Trust Bank (Gambia) Limited as a non-executive director.

47. Uche Pedro

Uche Pedro is an entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of BellaNaija, a brand known for its storytelling and detailing of entertainment and lifestyle content. Under her guidance and executive leadership, Bella Naija has created multiple sub-communities that have also grown, and become successful brands themselves. BellaNaija Weddings, BellaNaija Style and their official website have grown exponentially within just years of their creation and is one of the largest African magazines. Uche was also honored with a Frown Awards by UNFPA/UNICEF for her efforts to protect the right of every girl child and her contribution to the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria.

48. Oluwatosin Olaseinde

Oluwatosin Olaseinde is the founder and CEO of Money Africa, a financing and tech company that boasts of a community of over 200k people. She began her career as a chartered accountant, with specialization in accounting audit, financial management and taxation, before moving on to building Money Africa and contributing in revolutionizing the ed tech sector in Nigeria. 

Oluwatosin’s major focus is emphasizing on the need for financial literacy and investment through technology.

49. Maya Horgan Famodu

Maya Horgan Famodu is a partner at Ingressive, a firm dedicated to providing services to assist firms and businesses in expanding across Africa. She is also an entrepreneur and the founder of Ingressive Capital, a venture capital fund investing in Africa-based technology companies. Maya, alongside two others also co-founded Ingressive 4 Good, a nonprofit built on the intention of providing scholarships, technical training and talent placement for African youths. With a career that has spanned over a decade, Maya Horgan Hamodu has been in the field of fixing challenges faced by businesses, especially financial challenges.

50. Funke Opeke

Funke Opeke can easily be described as a game changer in the tech industry for women, as she started creating ahead of the time when women were often seen in tech spaces. She is the founder of Main Street Technologies and Chief Executive Officer of Main One Cable Company, a communications services company based in Lagos State. With a degree in electrical engineering, Funke Opeke contributed to revolutionizing the tech space for women, starting her career at Verizon, following up with companies like MTN, NITEL and Transcorp all being in her portfolio.

51. Folayemi Agusto

Folayemi Agusto is the co-founder of Eat, Drink, Lagos and also the co-founder of one of the biggest ticketing platforms in Nigeria, Tix Africa. By founding Tix Africa in 2019, Folayemi secured her status as one of Nigeria’s leading female co-founders. 

With a career that began with owning a food blog, she went on to co-found a tech platform to aid with proper event management and then created Eat, Drink, Lagos in line with her initial passion as a food blogger.

52. Olamide Olowe

Olamide Olowe is the founder of Topicals, a fast-growing skin care brand that is popular for addressing chronic skin conditions. At age 26, Olamide achieved the feat of becoming the youngest black woman to raise over $10 million in venture capital funding. She is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur and investor who continues to build an internationally renowned business.

53. Rukky Ladoja

Rukky Ladoja is a founder and creative director for Dye Lab, an exceptional clothing brand that has become a staple in Nigeria, however before she became associated with Dye Lab, Rukky Ladoja was known as the force behind “Grey.”Before it closed its doors to customers in 2019, Grey was well known as a Lagos-based fashion brand that brought bold, eclectic designs to life, with Rukky taking on an unconventional path to its running. Rukky is known for working with a craft-first mentality, which has helped in building a sustainable fashion brand that focuses on techniques and links up with modern fashion in a way that is not stifling but instead progressive.

54. Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson

Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson is a Nigerian health tech founder and entrepreneur who started out with a career in medical biochemistry and pivoted in the health tools industry. Starting her career with over a decade of experience in data analytics and marketing, Ifeoluwa eventually took a leap of faith and created “Healthtracka,” an easily accessible tool to check your health status from the comfort of your home. In her early stage, Ifeoluwa raised $1.5 million in seed funding for her startup.

55. Fisayo Longe

Fisayo Longe is the founder of Kai Collective, an international clothing brand that quickly shot to fame in the past decade. Beyond being the founder of Kai, Fisayo Longe is also a well-respected speaker, who is highly respected and valued for her expertise in business, especially due to how quickly she was able to make Kai Collecting a million-dollar-earning company. Fisayo has worked with brands like Nike, Lancôme, Google, Aldo and many others. With Kai Collecting doing over six million pounds in revenue, Fisayo has created an impressive brand that can stand the test of time.

56. Bibi Bakare-Yusuf

Bibi Bakare Yusuf is an academic writer and editor who co-founded the decades-old publishing company, “Cassava Republic Press.” The inspiration behind creating Cassava Republic Press was to focus on affordability, the need to find and develop local talent, and to publish African writers in a society where African writers did not have as much access to publishing companies. Bibi was given the title of an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and is a Yale World Fellow.

57. Reni Folayiwo

Reni Folayiwo is a Nigerian lawyer, fashion entrepreneur, and business mogul who founded Alara, the first fashion, luxury, and lifestyle concept store in West Africa. The business mogul studied commercial law in the University of Warwick, United Kingdom and came back to Nigeria to start practising in her father’s law firm, before eventually moving into her career as a fashion and business mogul. Reni is the owner of NOK and NOK garden by Alara which she created to contribute to the promotion of African cuisine.

58. Dami Onosowobo

Damilola Onwosobo is an artist, designer and co-founder of the diverse and inclusive brand, Bawsty. 

Bawsty was created to fill a gap for Busty women who are underrepresented in the clothing industry, and within three years, the brand has sold over 15,000 clothing pieces and built an international and local community of over 30,000 people. Damilola who received her Bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s in environmental design and is also an oil painter, and a visual designer who has shown her work in New York, 2025, NADA x Affinity Gallery, Miami, US 2024, ART X Lagos, 2024, 1-54 London, 2024, 1-54 London, 2023, ART X Lagos, 2022 amongst many others. She was also a nominee for The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) Young Person of the Year in 2019 and served on the D&AD Impact Council from 2020 to 2023.

59. Victoria Nkong

Victoria Nkong is a multilingual entertainment consultant known for her role as an associate producer for AFRIMA AWARDS. Victoria has had extensive work experience going from being a bilingual presenter, a producer for Kora Awards and Headies Awards to her current status as an associate producer. 

She is the Executive Producer of Cruise & Chills boat cruise networking party for Business Moguls, Media and Celebrities, while also being the founder of a charity.

60. Adeola Chizoba Adeyemi 

Adeola Chizoba Adeyemi, professionally known as Diiadem, is the founder of the well-established beauty brand, “Beauty by AD.” Diadem is a trailblazer in the Nigerian beauty industry, elevating it and contributing heavily through products lauded for being intentionally created to satisfy the Nigerian audience. She founded both Beauty by AD and Beauty by Ad Skin.

61. 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.

62. Temie Giwa-Tubosun

Temie Giwa Tubosun is a health manager and the brain and founder of LifeBank, a company created to improve blood transfusion services in Nigeria. She started her career in health and continued following that career trajectory into creating One Percent Project, a non governmental initiative created with the aim of ending blood shortage, educating people on the importance of blood donation for anyone in need of blood, to overcome fears, prejudice, myths and apathy of people on blood donation, and to increase an efficient distribution network of blood in blood banks in Nigeria. She eventually pivoted, and LifeBank was born.

63. Omolabake Adenle

Omolabake Adenle is an entrepreneur, engineer, financial strategist and the founder and CEO of AJA.LA Studios, a company created with the intention of providing digital solutions. Omolabake is also the innovator behind the application software “Speak Yoruba App,” a feat that earned her an award on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in Voice by the Women In Voice (WiN) 2021. Alongside AJA, Omolabake aims to develop natural language and speech processing applications for under-resourced languages.

64. Subuola Oyeleye

Subuola Oyeleye is the founder and brain behind The Beauty Hut Africa, a multi-brand beauty company that was created to bridge the gap between local brands in Nigeria and international ones. She gained significant recognition in 2025 for creating a brand seen as a reliable destination for global beauty and personal-care brands. Subuola with the creation of Beauty Hut was able to fill a need and close in the scarcity, product validity, and price gap of beauty products in Nigeria and has secured a space for herself as one of the most promising brands and brand owners in the ever-evolving beauty industry in Nigeria.

65. Aisha Hamman

Aisha Hamman is a lawyer, civil rights leader, and development strategist who has won awards and received accolades for her dedication to fighting for equality and human rights. She advocates for gender-inclusive structures and empowerment. She is also the founder of Lift Africa, a foundation dedicated to advancing justice, gender equality, and empowerment across Nigeria. She has assumed leadership roles over initiatives that have provided support to over 5,000 women and girls, reintegrated more than 3,000 out-of-school children into classrooms, and secured 86 convictions in gender-based violence and human rights abuse cases across Northern Nigeria.

66. Yanmo Omorogbe

Yanmo Omorogbe is the Co-founder and CEO of Bamboo, a leading fintech company founded in 2019. Bamboo is known and lauded as one of the greatest fintech platforms in the content. Yanmo herself stumbled into the tech and finance field after studying chemical engineering and working with a private equity firm in Lagos. Yanmo went on to turn what started as a diversion into the finance and tech sector into building Bamboo, a finance company that has bridged many gaps.

67. Favour Ofili

Favour Ofili is a sprinter who currently holds the 150 m world record for sprinting, after breaking the record in 2025 in a time of 15.85 secs. Ofili is the African indoor record holder in the 200m event and holds a Nigerian record (also at U20 level) over the distance with a time of 21.96 seconds, making her the first Nigerian woman in history (and second African woman) to break the 22-second barrier. In breaking this record, Favour Ofili became the first woman in history to ever to run 150 metres in under 16 seconds.

68. Adeola Fayehun

Adeola Fayehun is a journalist whose area of specialization is heavily influenced by the current geopolitical, social and economic issues that affect the daily lives of Africans living on the continent. She hosted a show on Sahara TV which featured her reporting on political news around the globe for 30 minutes, after leaving Sahara news Adeola moved on to publishing new content on her YouTube channel about African politics in a continuation of her weekly satire show Keeping It Real with Adeola. She is an award-winning journalist, who is highly regarded for her straight-forward approach to journalism.

69. Tobi Amusan

Tobi Amusan is a track and field athlete specialising in the 100 metres hurdles and also a sprinter. 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. Tobi is also the current Commonwealth and African champion in the 100 m hurdles, as well as the meet record holder in those two competitions. Tobi Amusan is one of the most decorated athletes out of Nigeria.

70. Rena Wakama

Rena Wakama is a coach and former basketball player who currently holds the position as the head coach for the Nigerian national team, a position as head coach for the Hive BC, and assistant coach for the Chicago Sky. Rena represented Nigeria’s First Bank at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women during her career as a player, during her time as a basketballer. She is also became the first Nigerian National Female Basketball Team coach to win the FIBA AfroBasket Women competition since it began in 1966, and under her reign as a coach, Nigerian basketball team D’Tigress became the first African team, male or female, to qualify for the quarterfinals of basketball at the Olympics.

71. Veekee James

Veekee James is a Nigerian fashion designer, and founder of Veekee James, which is a fashion brand. Veekee James is an award-winning designer who has made a name for herself by creating unique bridal fashion pieces and red-carpet attire, which many have acknowledged helped revolutionize the Nigerian fashion industry. She is also known for her feat in organizing a masterclass that helped over 100 fashion creatives from different countries develop their skills.

72. Taiwo Smith

Taiwo Smith is an entrepreneur well known in the business and entrepreneurial world for not only her innovative approach to the restaurant industry in Nigeria, with emphasis on Lagos Island, she is also invested in the beauty and retail industry. Taiwo co-owns and co-founded a series of businesses in Nigeria with her twin sister, with the inclusion of “The Smiths, a highly regarded restaurant in the country. She is also the co-founder of Batters and Brunch, Cafeteria, Forno, Maple and Extension.Ng, all of which are food and hair care businesses scattered around the Lagos Island area.

73. Andrea Iyamah

Dumebi Andrea Iyamah is a Nigerian-Canadian fashion designer who is the CEO and Founder of the fashion design company, Andrea Iyama. Andrea Iyama caters to bridal, ready-to-wear lines, and swimwear. Clothing from her brand has been worn by celebrities like Michelle Obama, Kate Hudson, Gabrielle Union, Ciara, and Issa Rae. She has staged several fashion shows in Africa, Europe, France, and the United States, and has received press from Elle, Essence, Cosmopolitan and Vogue.

74. Modupe Odele 

Modupe Odele is the founding partner at Vazi Legal and also Scale My Hustle but she is better known as one of the biggest names on legal Twitter for her contribution to the EndSars protests. Modupe has a track record in providing strategic counsel to startups, investors and family offices, she is also well known as a travel creator who is well-traveled and often talks about traveling on a relatively affordable budget. Modupe Odele is also one of the women associated with the Feminist Coalition, an organization that has provided charitable services to women and young girls.

75. Kemi Adetiba

Kemi Adetiba is a Nigerian filmmaker, television director and music video director, she has made huge contributions to Nollywood’s growth and the development of well-rounded shows and movies, some of which are on Netflix.A few of her prominent works are “King of Boys”, “The Wedding Party”, and her most recent work, “To Kill A Monkey,” her works have appeared on major channels in the country, and she is regarded as one of the most influential directors in the industry, with a career that began on radio and culminated in her becoming a television face, producing and presenting several shows on Mnet. She is also known for hosting the Maltina Dance All for three consecutive seasons; her feature film “The Wedding Party” broke records at the time of its release.

76. Ada Nduka

Ada Nduka is the founder and executive director of She Codes Africa, a nonprofit tech organization that provides African women with all the tools they need to access digital education on tech. 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.

77. Aniko

Aniko is a prominent Nigerian DJ known for her contributions to the electronic music scene in Nigeria, and an important figure in the rave culture in the country. She is the founder of Group Therapy, a Lagos-based electronic music collective and event series launched in 2023 to showcase alternative sounds and highlight the country’s alternative music scene, while also providing a platform for international and local acts. Aniko is also an international curator and dj who has performed at major events, including Boiler Room, HOR Berlin, Amsterdam Dance Event (Madcity), Homecoming Festival, and ArtX Lagos. She was featured among the top 10 most notable DJs on the African scene.

78. Claire Idera

Claire Idera is a businesswoman, self-taught visual artist, and founder of the growing fashion brand, Cladini Studio. Claire started out her career as a visual artist, fashion illustrator, architect, and YouTuber with a growing community, with her fashion brand, Cladini which is both international and local to Nigeria, she is on the path to building a stylish fashion brand that plays around with art and faith as a concept.

79. Ire Aderinokun

Ire Aderinokun is well known as a Nigerian front-end developer and Google developer expert, who made history as Nigeria’s first female Google developer expert. She built her first website at the age of 13 as a fansite for Neopets, where she had learned her first basic HTML codes and is a self-taught frontend developer and user interface designer.She is the major organizer for Frontstack, a conference for front-end engineering in Nigeria, while also being the co-founder COO and VP Engineering of Helicarrier, which builds cryptocurrency infrastructure for Africa. Ire Aderinokun is also a founding member of Feminist Coalition.

80. FK Abudu

Feyikemi Abudu who is professionally known as FK Abudu, is a podcaster, entrepreneur and activist. Feyikemi started out her career in business development at She Leads Africa, the financial empowerment forum for African women, and went on to build a career out of organizing business development training for banks and start-ups, first working with brands like Taxify and Bolt. FK Abudu made it to the Time 100 list which aims to highlight the 100 individuals who are shaping the future of their fields and defining the next generation of leadership in business, entertainment, health and science, sports, activism, and more for her role in the 2020 #ENDSARS protests, of which she was an active participant. The podcast she co-hosts is one of the biggest podcasts out of Africa, and has hosted events in London, Ghana and other parts of the world with a diverse community of listeners.

81. Tems

Temilade Openiyi, professionally known as Tems is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. A two-time Grammy award winner, Tems is one of the Nigerian women in music revolutionizing the Nigerian music scene and contributing heavily to the exportation of Afrobeats and the alternative Nigerian sound. In 2025, Tems became the first African woman to own a stake in a Major League Soccer team when she joined the San Diego FC ownership group. More than being a singer, Tems is also highly regarded for making successful business and career moves.

82. Kanyinsola Onalaja

Kanyinsola Onalaja is the founder and designer behind Onalaja, a brand known for fusing contemporary silhouettes into elements uniquely inspired by African art. Onalaja is regarded by many as African heritage put into clothes, and has styled international celebrities like Ciara and Chlöe Bailey. Kanyinsola has an academic background in Fashion Design, and she frequently delves into meticulously transforming traditional embellishment techniques into three- dimensional art.

83. Oyinkan Braithwaite

Oyinkan Braithwaite is a Nigerian-British novelist and is well known for her debut novel “My Sister, The Serial Killer,” which put her at the forefront of the conversation on Nigerian writers. In 2025, with her novel “Cursed Daughters,” she made her way to the list of Nigerian authors to look for. While Cursed Daughter is on a different path from her debut novel, it also captivated readers and is one of those books you just cannot put down until you are done reading. Oyinkan is known to write in a way that draws readers in her books would be a great addition to your bookshelf this 2026.

84. Blessing Abeng

Blessing Abeng is one of the founders of Ingressive for Good, a tech nonprofit organization. She is listed in the Forbes 30 under 30 for 2023. She is also the co-founder of Disha, a tech platform company now acquired by Flutterwave. While also an award-winning entrepreneur and winner of the African Achievers Awards in 2022, under Blessing’s leadership as the Director of Communications, Ingressive for Good has also partnered with Google. 

85. Abasiekeme Ukanireh 

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Abasiekeme Ukanireh is a fashion designer, creative director and founder of Éki Kéré, a sustainable clothing brand that has gained popularity for incorporating the traditional rafia method into the creation of their attire. Abasiekeme Ukanireh is a designer who focuses on eco-friendly materials and ethical practices in her designs while showcasing the diverse Nigerian culture.

86. Folorunso Alakija

Folorunso Alakija is a Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist who currently holds the position of group managing director of the Rose of Sharon Group and also serves as executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited. Folorunso began her career in banking, spending over a decade at First National Bank Chicago and Merchant Bank before moving to study fashion design and starting a fashion label called Supreme Stitches, which was renamed in 1996 as the Rose of Sharon House of Fashion. Whilst running her fashion empire, she Alakija applied for the allocation of an oil prospecting license, which was granted to her oil company and with that she built an oil empire. She is regarded as one of the wealthiest women.

87. Jade Osiberu

Jade Osiberu is a Nigerian writer, director, producer and also the founder of Greoh Studios. She is popularly known for her movies “Isoken”, “Brotherhood”, “Sugar Rush,” and “Gangs of Lagos”, all of which revolutionized Nigerian cinema with how well they were done. Her movie Gangs of Lagos also achieved the distinction of being the first Nigerian original film to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime, after which she signed a three-year deal with Amazon to develop and produce original scripted TV series and feature films. She also headlined the Nollywood Film Festival In Scotland and has won awards for her directional role.

88. Chigozie Obi

Chigozie Obi is a multidimensional artist, who has a degree in Visual Arts from the University of Lagos. Chigozie’s art pieces have been featured in several group exhibitions and sales, which include GTBank Art635 Inspire Auction (2020), MoCada Museum’s silent auction (2019), Collective Renditions, African Artists Foundation, Lagos (2019), Rele in Lekki, Lagos, amongst many others. 

She is also the winner of The Future Awards Africa prize for Art and Literature.

89. Hauwa Ojeifo

Hauwa Ojeifo is a sexual violence and mental health activist, who holds the title as the first Nigerian with a mental health condition speak out in the Nigerian parliament about mental health rights and the first Nigerian female to have received a Queen’s Young Leader Award for her work. 

Hauwa Ojeifo is the founder of She Writes Woman, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a voice for mental health in Nigeria.

90. Blessing Uzzi

Blessing Uzzi is a film director, producer and editor who founded the studio “BluHouse,” with several awards under her belt, one of which is for her film “Freedom Way,” which won her the Best Movie award in 2025 at the AMVCA. She is also the recipient of the best writing award at the AMVCA in 2025. 

91. Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie

Adesewa Giwa Osagie is a journalist, historian and lawyer who studied history and political science. 

She is a journalist who works with Arise Newsnews and is known for her work in covering political issues that are often overlooked. Adesuwa is also the founder of “Untold Stories with Adesuwa,” a platform featuring in-depth interviews with prominent Nigerian political figures, including President Olusegun Obasanjo, Former head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and foormer Senate President Bukola Saraki.

92. Ozzy Etomi

Ozzy Etomi is a writer, designer and the co-founder of Dye Lab, a staple clothing brand known for its innovative design and immersion in the Nigeria tye and tye culture. Ozzy is credited with being the marketing genius behind the Dye Lab brand. She is also a prominent digital activist and a founding member of the feminist coalition. She also has screenwriting credits for the 2025 film “A Lagos Love Story.”

93. Kiki Mordi 

Kiki Mordi is an investigative journalist, filmmaker, entrepreneur and writer who first gained international prominence for her work with BBC Africa Eye on a documentary that exposed the impact of sexual harassment in Nigerian universities. She is also one of the most prominent feminists and digital activists in Nigeria and has won The Future Awards Africa for Journalism and the People Journalism Prize for Africa, both for her work as a journalist.

94. Aisha Madina Maishanu 

Aisha Madina Maishanu is an award-winning Nigerian broadcaster who works extensively with BBC Hausa and hosts Mahangar Zamani (Contemporary Periscope). Aisha is a Future Awards winner for journalism and is also a youth advocate. Madina’s career in journalism began when she joined Voice of America (VOA) Hausa Service in Washington, D.C. as an international broadcaster, where she reported news for VOA Hausa and oversaw all digital media platforms, including websites and social media channels, before becoming the BBC Hausa host.

95. Desiree Iyama

Desiree Iyama is the founder and creative director of “Desiree Iyama,” a contemporary womenswear brand. She started her career creating DIY outfits in 2016 and after studying fashion and strategy she relaunched her business and focused on creating bold sustainable fashion, and is well known in the fashion industry for her bridal and runway fashion. Desiree is also the owner of Ava and George toys, a company focused on creating educational toys and accessories for you children.

96. Lola Shonenyi

Lola Shonenyi is best referred to as a literary goddess, with the title of African Literary Person of the Year by Brittle Paper, her debut novel is regarded as one of the best works out of Nigeria. She is a poet and author who published three volumes of poetry, and has won a PEN award in the U.S. Lola Shonenyi’s debut novel “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives” has been greenlit for adaptation into screen, with Bollywood actors like Mercy Aigbe, Iyabo Ojo, and Odunlade Adekola announced as some of the cast members.

97. Bose Ogulu

Bose Ogulu is an academic, talent manager, and businesswoman who manages Afrobeats singer Burna Boy. Bose, the founder & CEO of Spaceship Collective, the holding company to entertainment label Spaceship Records and publishing outfit Spaceship Publishing, to which Burna Boy is signed. She has won three awards related to her work as a manager, including a special recognition award from The Headies and a History Maker award from the BAA awards.

98. Oyindamola Aleshinloye

Oyindamola Aleshinloye is the founder and CEO of Kadiju, a women-focused brand rooted in fantasy and maximalist party looks. Kadiju has achieved much under Oyindamola’s leadership, winning the top prize at the maiden Afro Euro Runway show in Madrid in 2024. With a brand just shy of 5 years old, Oyindamola Aleshinloye has already secured a place for herself in the fashion industry and among Nigeria’s top fashion designers.

99. Ola Orekunrin

Ola Orekunrin is a medical doctor and healthcare entrepreneur who is the brain behind the Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment group. She is also the director of Greentree Investment Company, with a training in aviation medicine. Ola became the CEO of West Africa’s first air-operated emergency medical service. Dr Ola Orekunrin was listed among the 2013 Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum.

100. Adenrele Sonariwo

Adenrele Sonariwo is an entrepreneur, art curator, and founder of Rele Art Gallery in Lagos and of an international branch in Los Angeles, California. Rele Gallery is the first African contemporary art gallery to establish an outpost in Los Angeles, with Adenrele serving as lead curator of the first Nigerian pavilion at the Venice Biennale. She is also the founding director of the Rele Arts Foundation, which supports projects such as mentorship, grants, and resident training for emerging artists.