Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, prolific Nigerian author and award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o have been named by Forbes as one of the most influential women in Africa who have made immense contributions and challenged the status quo.
The list was released on Friday, during a summit in South Africa.
Aside from Adichie and Nyong’o, many other important figures made the Forbes list. Public figures from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, and several other African countries were featured on the list.
They include Folorunso Alakija, Angélique Kidjo, Winnie Byanyima, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Bonang Matheba, Fatou Bensouda, and Tara Fela-Durotoye among others.
Another influential woman on the list is Dr. Jeifer Riria, chairperson of Women’s World Banking, a microfinance network of over 53 micro-finance institutions from 30 countries.
Read the complete list below
| NAME | COUNTRY | TITLE | SECTOR |
| GRACA MACHEL | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, GRACA MACHEL TRUST | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| CLARE AKAMANZI | RWANDA | CEO, RWANDA DEVELOPMENT BOARD | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT /GOVERNANCE |
| FOLORUNSO ALAKIJA | NIGERIA | EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR, FAMFA OIL | OIL SECTOR |
| JENNIFER RIRIA | KENYA | GROUP CEO, ECHO NETWORK AFRICA (ENA); FOUNDING MEMBER, KENYA WOMEN FINANCE TRUST | FINANCE |
| LOUISE MUSHIKIWABO | RWANDA | SECRETARY GENERAL, ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE LA FRANCOPHONIE (OIF) | |
| AYA CHEBBI | TUNISIA | BLOGGER AND AFRICA UNION YOUTH ENVOY | MEDIA |
| ELSIE KANZA | TANZANIA | HEAD OF AFRICA AND MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM | FINANCE |
| IBUKUN AWOSIKA | NIGERIA | FOUNDER AND CEO, THE CHAIR CENTRE GROUP | MANUFACTURING |
| DR JUDY DLAMINI | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, MBEKANI GROUP | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| CHARLIZE THERON | SOUTH AFRICA | HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS | ENTERTAINMENT |
| CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE | NIGERIA | AUTHOR, PUBLIC SPEAKER | PUBLISHING |
| PHUTI MAHANYELE-DABENGWA | SOUTH AFRICA | CEO, NASPERS SOUTH AFRICA | TECHNOLOGY |
| OBIAGELI ‘OBY’ EZEKWESILI | NIGERIA | SENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR, AFRICA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY INITIATIVE (AEDPI) | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| GLENDA GRAY | SOUTH AFRICA | PRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (SAMRC) | HEALTHCARE |
| THULI MADONSELA | SOUTH AFRICA | LAW TRUST CHAIR, SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY | LAW |
| WENDY LUHABE | SOUTH AFRICA | SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & CO-FOUNDER, WIPHOLD | FINANCE |
| ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO | BENIN | FOUR-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER | ENTERTAINMENT |
| MANAL ROSTOM | EGYPT | FOUNDER, SURVIVING HIJAB AND FACE OF NIKE PRO HIJAB | HEALTH AND FITNESS |
| LYDIA NSEKERA | BURUNDI | PRESIDENT, NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (NOC) OF BURUNDI AND MEMBER OF FIFA COUNCIL | SPORT /GOVERNANCE |
| WINNIE BYANYIMA | UGANDA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNAIDS | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA | NIGERIA | CHAIR, BOARD OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR VACCINES AND IMMUNISATION (GAVI) | HEALTHCARE |
| PHUMZILE MLAMBO-NGCUKA | SOUTH AFRICA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED NATIONS (UN) WOMEN | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| WARIS DIRIE | SOMALIA | PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DESERT FLOWER FOUNDATION | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF | LIBERIA | FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA, NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE | GOVERNANCE |
| YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA | SOUTH AFRICA | AWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN | ENTERTAINMENT |
| SAHLE-WORK ZEWDE | ETHIOPIA | PRESIDENT OF ETHIOPIA | GOVERNANCE |
| MAMOKGETHI (KGETHI) PHAKENG | SOUTH AFRICA | VICE-CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN (UCT) | EDUCATION |
| REBECCA ENONCHONG | CAMEROON | FOUNDER & CEO, APPSTECH | TECHNOLOGY |
| BONANG MATHEBA | SOUTH AFRICA | MEDIA PERSONALITY, ENTREPRENEUR | ENTERTAINMENT |
| FATMA SAMOURA | SENEGAL | SECRETARY-GENERAL, FIFA | SPORT |
| IRENE CHARNLEY | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, SMILE COMMUNICATIONS | TECHNOLOGY |
| UCHENNA ‘UCHE’ PEDRO | NIGERIA | FOUNDER AND CEO, BELLANAIJA | MEDIA |
| ILWAD ELMAN | SOMALIA | FOUNDER, ELMAN PEACE CENTRE | ACTIVISM |
| WENDY APPELBAUM | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, DE MORGENZON WINE ESTATE | ENTREPRENEUR |
| OLAJUMOKE ADENOWO | NIGERIA | FOUNDER, AD CONSULTING | ADVERTISING |
| BETHLEHEM TILAHUN ALEMU | ETHIOPIA | FOUNDER AND CEO, SOLEREBELS FOOTWEAR, GARDEN OF COFFEE, TEFFTASTIC | ENTREPRENEUR |
| NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA | SOUTH AFRICA | MINISTER OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, SOUTH AFRICA | GOVERNANCE |
| WENDY ACKERMAN | SOUTH AFRICA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PICK ‘N PAY | RETAIL |
| CASTER SEMENYA | SOUTH AFRICA | OLYMPIC CHAMPION | SPORT |
| RAWYA MANSOUR | EGYPT | FOUNDER AND CEO, RAMSCO | AGRICULTURE |
| ARUNMA OTEH | NIGERIA | ACADEMIC SCHOLAR, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD FORMER TREASURER AND VICE PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE AFRICA ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER | FINANCE |
| FATOU BENSOUDA | GAMBIA | PROSECUTOR, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) | LAW |
| HAJER SHARIEF | LIBYA | HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE | ACTIVISM |
| AMINA J. MOHAMMED | NIGERIA | DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| PRECIOUS MOTSEPE | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, AFRICAN FASHION INTERNATIONAL | FASHION |
| LUPITA NYONG’O | KENYA | OSCAR-WINNING ACTOR | ENTERTAINMENT |
| VERA SONGWE | CAMEROON | EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |
| MAGDA WIERZYCKA | SOUTH AFRICA | FOUNDER, SYGNIA | FINANCE |
| TARA FELA-DUROTOYE | NIGERIA | FOUNDER, HOUSE OF TARA INTERNATIONAL | BEAUTY |
| THERESA KACHINDAMOTO | MALAWI | CHIEF OF DEDZA DISTRICT | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT |