Who are Africa's most powerful women in 2024?

By Kudra Maliro

Democratic Republic of Congo's Prime Minister, Judith Suminwa, has been ranked the most powerful woman in Africa in 2024 by Forbes Magazine in its annual list of most powerful women in the world.

Forbes said the list was determined by four main criteria - money, media, impact and spheres of influence.

Suminwa, 57, was appointed by President Felix Tshisekedi in April 2024 as DRC's first female prime minister following his re-election.

She was ranked the 77th most powerful woman in world in the Forbes list.

"Being named the 77th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes goes beyond personal recognition. It is a symbol of hope for every young girl and woman in the DRC," she said in a statement on X platform.

"Let us continue to work toward a future where every woman, in the DRC and beyond, can fully realize her potential,'' she added.

The prime minister previously worked for United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as coordinator of the 'Peacebuilding and Strengthening Democracy' pillar. Her work focused on eastern Congo, a region facing ongoing violence and instability.

Mpumi Madisa

South African businesswoman Mpumi Madisa, 45, was ranked the second most powerful woman in the continent and 87th in the world.

Madisa leads Bidvest, a South African services and distribution company with nearly 130,000 employees and a $5.3 billion market cap.

She is considered a trailblazer after becoming the only Black female chief executive of a top-40 company on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange when she was appointed as Bidvest's chief executive in 2020.

She sits on the boards of 16 of the company's subsidiary companies, Forbes said.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 70, was ranked the third most powerful African woman in 2024.

In November, she was reappointed for a second term as Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

She became the first woman and the first African to serve in the role in March 2021.

Previously, she served two terms as Nigeria's finance minister, from 2003-2006 and from 2011 to 2015. She also briefly acted as foreign affairs minister in 2006.

Samia Suluhu Hassan

Tanzania's first female President Samia Suluhu Hassan, 64, was ranked the fourth most powerful woman in Africa and 91st in the world, according to the Forbes list.

She rose to the presidency from the position of a vice-president in March 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli.

In September 2021, she became just the fifth-ever female African leader to address the UN General Assembly, Forbes said.

Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu, 60, is the fifth most powerful woman in Africa and 97th in the world. Forbes described her as one of the most powerful women in global media.

In 2006, Abudu started Ebonylife TV, a network that now airs in more than 49 countries across Africa, as well as in the UK and the Caribbean.

Her company's deal with Netflix marked the first time an African media company signed a multi-title film and TV agreement with the streaming giant.

➤Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.