Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Hanna Tetteh, Joyce Aryee make 100 Most Influential African Women list

First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo, former Foreign Affairs Minister Hanna Tetteh and the CEO of Salt and Light Ministries Dr. Joyce Aryee have been listed amongst Avance Media’s 2019 100 Most Influential African Women.

The list as released by the leading African rating and PR firm features distinguished women whose works and accomplishments continue to inspire the next generation of women in Africa.

Speaking about the list, MD of Avance Media Prince Akpah noted that the list has a representation of 100 women from 35 African countries that are changing the feminine narrative and challenging the status quo of women on the continent.

He also said some of the honourees have expressed interest in offering mentorship opportunities to young women from across the continent through the ‘Be a Girl’ mentorship programme, which is being launched to upsurge the impact of the publication.

Avance Media has over the years been engaged in changing the narrative about Africa through rating and ranking publications and the launch of this initiative is expected not only to celebrate Africans but showcase the individual and collective works of women who are earnestly inspiring the next generation of leaders in Africa.

The list features women who occupy eminent leadership positions such as President, Prime Minister, Secretary General, First Lady, Governor, Minister, CEO and Commissioners.

Notable among them are Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde, Liberia’s Vice President Jewel Taylor and Ghana’s First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo.

The rest are Namibia’s Prime Minister Dr Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed and former presidents, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson and Catherine Samba-Panza.

The list also features young women activists such as AU Youth Envoy Aya Chebbi, Farida Bemba Nabourema and Ilwad Elman.

Entertainers including Lupita Nyong’o, Omotola Jalade Ekiende, Genevieve Nnaji, Tiwa Savage also made the list.

Below is the list of Avance Media’s 2019 100 Most Influential African Women arranged in alphabetical order.


Abiola Bawuah || United Bank for Africa (UBA)

Aïda Diarra || Visa, SSA

Amani Abou-Zeid(H.EDr.) || African Union Commission

Amina C. Mohammed (Amb. Dr) || Kenyan Cabinet Minister

Amina J. Mohammed (H.E) || United Nations

Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil(H.E) || African Union Commission

Angela Kyeremanten-Jimoh || IBM

AngéliqueKidjo || Musician

ArunmaOteh || University of Oxford

AyaChebbi || African Union Commission

Bethlehem TilahunAlemu || soleRebels

BinetaDiop(H.E) || African Union Commission

Binta Toure Ndoye || The Orabank Group

Bogolo Joy Kenewendo || Batswana Cabinet Minister

Bonang Matheba || Media Personality

Carole Wainaina || Africa 50

Caroline Abel || Central Bank of Seychelles

Caster Semenya || Athlete

Catherine Samba-Panza(H.E) || Former President, Central African Republic

CessoumaMinataSamate(H.E) || African Union Commission

ChimamandaNgoziAdichie || Author

Clare Akamanzi || Rwanda Development Board

Coumba Toure || Africans Rising Movement

Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon || International Labour Organisation

Delphine Maidou || Allianz Africa

Diane Karusisi(Dr) || Bank of Kigali

Elisabeth Medou Badang || Orange Africa

Elizabeth Elango Bintliff || Junior Achievement Africa

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (H.E) || The Elders

Farida Bemba Nabourema|| Togolese Civil League

Fatima K. Mohammed (H.E) || United Nations

Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura || FIFA

FatouBomBensouda || International Criminal Court

FatouJagne Senghor || Article 19 West Africa

FolorunshoAlakija || Famfa Oil

Genevieve Nnaji || Actress

Gladys Kokorwe || National Assembly of Botswana

GraçaMachel || GracaMachel Trust

Hanna Tetteh(H.E) || United Nations

Kamissa Camara (Hon) || Malian Cabinet Minister

IbukunAwosika || First Bank of Nigeria

Ilwad Elman || Elman Peace and Human Rights Center

Irene Ovonji-Odida || The Uganda Association of Women Lawyers

Jackie Chimhanzi(Dr) || African Leadership Institute

Janine KacouDiagou || Nsia Groupe

Jeannine MabundaLioko || DRC National Assembly

Jewel Taylor (H.E) || Liberian Vice President

Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko(H.E) || African Union Commission

Joyce Aryee(Dr) || Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd

Joyce Msuya || United Nations Environment Programme

Joyce-Ann Wainaina || Citi East Africa

Judy Dlamini(Dr) || University of the Witwatersrand

Juliana Kantengwa(Dr) || Pan African Parliament

Julie Gichuru || Acumen Communication Ltd

Justice Irene Mambilima || Supreme Court of Zambia

Justina Mutale || Justina Mutale Foundation

Khadja Nin || Musician

LeymahGbowee || Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa

Linda Ikeji || Blogger

Louise Mushikiwabo || Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie

Lupita Nyong’o || Actress

Mandisa Maya || Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa

Mariam Jack-Denton || National Assembly of the Gambia

Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti(Dr) || WHO

Maya Hanoomanjee || National Assembly of Mauritius

Meaza Ashenafi || Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia

Michelle Ndiaye || Africa Peace and Security Programme

Mo Abudu || Ebony Life TV

Monica Geingos(H.E) || Namibian First Lady

Mosun Belo-Olusoga || Access Bank PLC Nigeria

Nadia Fettah || Saham Finances

NgoziOkonjoIweala || Gavi Alliance

Nicky Newton-King || Johannesburg Stock Exchange

NkosazanaDlamini-Zuma (H.E) || South African Cabinet Minister

NunuNtshingila || Facebook Africa

ObiageliEzekwesili || Transparency International

OmotolaJaladeEkeinde || Actress

OsaretinDemuren || GT Bank PLC Nigeria

OumouSangaré || Musician

PhumzileMlambo-Ngcuka(Dr) || UN Women

Precious Moloi-Motsepe(Dr) || African Fashion International

Priscilla Schwartz (Dr) || Sierra Leone Cabinet Minister

PriscillahMabelane || BP Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd

Rebecca Akufo-Addo(H.E) || Ghanaian First Lady

Rebecca Enonchong || Apps Tech

Rebecca Kadaga(Rt. Hon. ) || Parliament of Uganda

RetselisitsoeMatlanyane(Dr) || Central Bank of Lesotho

SaaraKuugongelwa-Amadhila (Rt. Hon. Dr) || Namibian Prime Minister

Sahle-Work Zewde(H.E) || Ethiopian President

Sarah MbiEnow Anyang Agbor(Prof H.E) || African Union Commission

Sheila Tlou(Professor ) || Global HIV Prevention Coalition

Sola David-Borha || Standard Bank Africa

Sophie Ikenye || BBC Focus on Africa

Tiwa Savage || Musician

TsitsiMasiyiwa || Higherlife Foundation

Vera Songwe (Dr) || United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

VerónicaMacamo || Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique

Wendy Lucas Bull || Absa Group Limited

Winnie Byanyima || Oxfam International

Yvonne Chaka Chaka || Musician