Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and media mogul Mo Abudu have been named among Forbes’ 100 most powerful women globally for 2025.
The annual ranking, published on Wednesday, highlighted women who are reshaping global influence across diverse sectors, including business, media, culture, politics, and now sports for the first time.
Forbes said the 2025 edition builds on its previous franchises such as America’s Most Powerful Women in Business, Most Powerful Women in Sports, and the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Okonjo-Iweala, ranked 92nd, was recognised for her decades-long career as an economist and development expert.
She made history in March 2021 as the first woman and first African to lead the WTO, championing the role of trade in lifting developing nations out of poverty and promoting sustainable development.
Prior to her WTO appointment, she served twice as Nigeria’s finance minister, briefly as foreign minister, and chaired the board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has facilitated vaccinations for over 760 million children globally.
Media entrepreneur Mo Abudu, listed 98th, was celebrated for her influence in global media.
She founded EbonyLife TV in 2006, now available in over 49 countries, and has forged partnerships with Sony Pictures Television, AMC Networks, and Netflix, the first African media company to secure a multi-title film and TV deal with the streaming giant.
In November 2025, EbonyLife expanded its reach with the launch of EbonyLife ON Plus, a digital platform available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
ForbesWomen editor Maggie McGrath said the list reflects a modern understanding of power, noting that influence is no longer tied to a single sector or title.
She highlighted leaders across technology, politics, and culture, including innovators like Lisa Su and Daniela Amodei, who are “building the future,” and political figures from Japan to Mexico, who are redefining governance.
The 2025 ranking also introduced notable newcomers such as Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, SKIMS co-founder Kim Kardashian, Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė, ByteDance CFO Julie Gao, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, and FirstRand Group CEO Mary Vilakazi.
Forbes said the list continues its mission of spotlighting women who are driving economic growth, cultural innovation, and technological progress worldwide.
Okonjo-Iweala. Mo Abudu
