AFRICA MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN

1. Folorunsho Alakija

A woman with dignity and honor from the Africa's largest country comes the most powerful woman in the continent. (Folorunsho Alakija) ranks number 80 in the world’s 100 most powerful women in the world. Blooming at 65, Mrs. Alakija net worth of 1.73 billion dollars after investing in the oil industry. She is the vice chair of a Nigerian oil exploration company, Famfa oil, that is in one of Nigeria’s largest deep water oil discoveries.

2. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

In second place is Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who comes in 83rd on the global list.

The 77 year old formidable leadership in rebuilding Liberia post-civil war and amidst crippling debts landed her on the list and was as well recognized for her efforts by the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf has been able to negotiate settlements, rebuild infrastructure, lift sanctions and rebuild women‘s rights.

“She (Sirleaf) came under fire for cronyism and corruption, and during the devastating Ebola outbreak of 2014, her decision to use troops to quarantine the heavily infected and poor West Point neighborhood was widely criticized. Despite this, she receives credit for some parts of her leadership, including her final presidential act: Stepping aside to let the country’s democratic process choose its next leader.” 

3. President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

At third place is Mauritius’ President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim who made it narrowly to the 2016 Forbes list at number 96. Before she was pulled to politics in 2015, the 56 year old President was immersed in her Research center that was compiling a database of the plants on the Island nation and promoting the importance of biodiversity to an international audience.

She became the Island’s President after she was selected as a presidential candidate by the major political party. She has used her power to bring her concerns as scientist to a larger audience.

 4. Isabel dos Santos

She is an Angolan investor considered by Forbes at some point, to be the richest woman not only in Angola, but the whole of Africa. Daughter of Angola's President José Eduardo dos Santos, who has ruled the country since 1979.

In the early 1990s, Isabel dos Santos returned from London to join her father in Luanda and started working as a project manager engineer for Urbana 2000, a subsidiary of Jembas Group that won the contract for cleaning and disinfection of the city. she set up a trucking business with the widespread use of walkie-talkie technology paved the way for her subsequent foray into telecoms. In 1997, age of 24, she started her first business by opening the Miami Beach Club, one of the first night clubs and beach restaurants on the Luanda Island.

Over a period of 20 years her business interests expanded, leading to the creation of several holdings, in Angola and mostly abroad, and to make substantial investments in a series of prestigious enterprises, especially in Portugal.

5. Ngina Kenyatta

Popularly called "Mama Ngina", she is the former First Lady of Kenya. She is the widow of the country's first president, Jomo Kenyatta, and also the mother of President Uhuru Kenyatta. She has grown over the years to became one of the richest individuals in Kenya, owning plantations, ranches, and hotels. Currently leads a quiet life in Kenya as a wealthy widow.

6. Hajia Bola Shagaya

She is a Nigerian businesswoman and fashion enthusiast. Undisputed, one of the richest women in Africa

Her career started with the audit department of the Central Bank of Nigeria before venturing into commercial activities in 1983. Her business experience started with the importation and distribution of photographic materials and she introduced the Konica brand of photographic materials into the Nigerian market and West Africa.

Hajia Bola Shagaya is also the managing director of Practoil Limited, the largest importers and distributors of base oil in Nigeria. Her businesses also include huge investment in real estate, spanning across major cities in the country with over three hundred employees.

She is currently on the board of Unity Bank (Nigeria) Plc also a member of the recently inaugurated Nepad Business Group – Nigeria. She also the  patron of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, (FADAN),  a fashion and art enthusiast who supports and encourages the fashion and art industry, she was awarded by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR), and the title of Member of the Order of the Niger on the 22nd of July 2010