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Celebrating Africa's Bold, Audacious, Corporate Women

Nominate an outstanding woman for Ascent’s Top 100 Career Women in Africa.

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See Past Honorees
  • Pan-African recognition since 2023
  • Independent selection process
  • Featured by leading African media
  • Pan-African recognition since 2023
  • Independent selection process
  • Featured by leading African media

The Top 100 Career Women in Africa: Amplifying Excellence, Driving Change

The Top 100 Career Women in Africa celebrates outstanding women whose careers demonstrate impact, leadership, and influence across key sectors on the continent. Founded by Dr. Glory Edozien, this prestigious recognition exists to set a clear benchmark for career excellence and to document the work of women shaping Africa’s professional future.

Relaunched in 2023, it has evolved from a Nigeria-focused initiative into a Pan-African recognition platform, partnering with leading media including Olori SuperGal, TVC, Bella Naija, Guardian Newspapers, and Women of Rubies. More than an award, it is a movement advancing visibility, credibility, and long-term influence while setting a new benchmark for leadership in Africa.
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The 2026 Top 100 Career Women in Africa: Redefining Recognition

The 2026 edition of the Top 100 Career Women in Africa marks a bold new chapter in celebrating female excellence. For the first time, the initiative will feature a high-profile Gala Night and Awards Ceremony at a prestigious venue in Lagos, bringing together honorees, partners, and key stakeholders in an elegant, influential setting. As part of its 6th-anniversary milestone, this edition moves beyond recognition to create a defining moment of visibility, prestige, and connection for Africa’s most exceptional career women.

Highlights from 2025 Edition

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Criteria for Selection

  • Excellence in Leadership and Performance
    • Demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a proven track record of excellence in their respective roles within the corporate sector.
    • Significant contributions to the growth and success of their organizations or industries.
  • Personal Accomplishments
    • Notable achievements that have set the honoree apart as a trailblazer in their career.
    • Recognition for innovation, influence, and impact within their field.
  • Commitment to Sharing Knowledge
    • Active participation in mentorship, knowledge-sharing, or initiatives that empower the next generation of leaders.
    • Demonstrated efforts to uplift others through community involvement, public speaking, or professional development programs.
  • African and Lives in Africa The nominee must be an African woman who resides and works in Africa, contributing to the growth and development of the continent's corporate sector.

Be Part of Ascent Top 100 Career Women!

Nominate an outstanding woman or partner with us as a sponsor to support Africa’s leading female professionals.

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Nomination Process

Call for Nominations

Open invitation to the public to nominate exceptional women in the corporate sector.

Step 1: Nominations

Nominations Close

Nominations close and the judges begin screening.

Step 2: Screening

Announcement and Publication

Selected nominees are announced and published across various digital platforms.

Step 3: Announcement

Meet The Judges

(Past and Present)

Funke Amobi

Funke is a globally recognized Human Resources professional and multiple award winner.
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Meet The Judges

(Past and Present)

Tewa Onasanya

Tewa Onasanya is a British-Nigerian publisher, philanthropist, author, and mindset stylist.
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Yemi Faseun

Yemi is a business leader with over 30 years of multi-sector, multi-function experience.
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Osayi Alile

Osayi is the CEO of Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation and has over 25 years of experience across different sectors.
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Tewa Onasanya

Tewa Onasanya is a British-Nigerian publisher, philanthropist, author, and mindset stylist.
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Nkiru Olumide – Ojo

Nkiru is currently the Africa Regions Executive Head, Marketing Corporate Communications & CSI at Standard Bank Group.
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Dr. Naike Moshi

Dr. Naike’s is an experience serial entrepreneur, businesswoman, and gender consultant, with the vision, and dedication to empowering others.
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Colleen Larsen

Colleen Larsen is the Chief Executive of Business Engage, with a career spanning 28 years in the financial services market.
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Previous Top 100 lists

Ascent Club Unveils the 2025 Top 100 Career Women in Africa!

Following a grand celebratory event, Ascent Club proudly announces the release of its prestigious Top 100 Career Women in Africa list. This year’s honorees, unveiled at a gala event...
Learn more

PromotionsTrailblazing Women: 9to5Chick Unveils 2024 Top 100 Career Women in Africa

9to5Chick, one of the leading career development platforms empowering Africa’s most ambitious women, proudly presents the unveiling of the Top 100 Career Women ...
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CareerAyo Mairo-Ese, Nneka Eneli, Busola Odusanya Make 9to5Chick’s Top 100 Career Women In Africa

9to5Chick, a career development platform for Africa’s most ambitious women, has broadened its horizons from its former focus on Nigeria to recognize the outstanding work...
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Oluwadamilola Olatunji, Adesola Arogundade, Toyosi Odukoya Make 9to5Chick’s Top 100 Career Women 2022 List

We need more female thought leaders in Africa. “This is our mantra at 9to5chick and we believe one way of achieving this and simultaneously forging positive visibility for ...
Learn more

Here’s the 2021 List of 9to5Chick’s Top 100 Career Women in Nigeria

The 9to5chick Top 100 Career Women in Nigeria list, celebrates inspiring mid and senior-level female professionals in the corporate sector who are making significant contributions at work, leading by example, and disrupting the status quo.
Learn more

Ascent Top 100

The Ascent Top 100 Career Women in Africa list, celebrates inspiring mid and senior-level female professionals in the corporate sector who are making significant contributions at work, leading by example, and disrupting the status quo.

Top 100 Career Women In Africa

Ready to get involved? Whether you want to nominate an inspiring woman or partner with Ascent, take the next step below.
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Funke Amobi

Executive Director, Operations, Stanbic IBTC Bank

Funke is a globally recognised Human Resources professional and multiple award winner. She has over 25 years of experience across Oil & Gas, Banking & Telecommunications sectors and currently serves as the Executive Director, Operations for Standard Bank Group with the responsibility for shaping the people and operational strategy across multiple national borders.

Tewa Onasanya

Founder/CEO of Exquisite Magazine Services Ltd

Tewa Onasanya is a British-Nigerian publisher, philanthropist, Author and Mindset Stylist. She is the Founder/CEO of Exquisite Magazine Services Ltd, the publishers of Exquisite Magazine and the organizers of EMAC Walk and ELOY Awards. Tewa has been featured in numerous international and Nigerian media which include the CNN, BBC, New York Times, Wikipedia, Punch, Guardian, Thisday, Vanguard and more newspapers, Television and Radio station

Yemi Faseun

Chief Talent Officer at YT Talent

Yemi is a business leader with over 30 years of multi-sector, multi-function experience. He is currently the Chief Talent Officer at YT Talent Officer and was a two-term elected council member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). He has received a number of global recognitions such as Top 8 HR Thought Leader in Africa, Top 50 Personality on LinkedIn, 2022 Top 200 Global Thought Leader among others.

Osayi Alile

CEO of Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation

Osayi is the CEO of Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation and has over 25 years of experience across different sectors. She is an experienced Council Member with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organisation management industry. She has also been named one of the African Women of the Year in 2015.

Nkiru Olumide – Ojo

Africa Regions Executive Head, Marketing Corporate Communications & CSI- Standard Bank Group.

Nkiru is currently the Africa Regions Executive Head, Marketing Corporate Communications & CSI at Standard Bank Group. She leads a diverse team across African countries to deliver business objectives through Brand Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Corporate Social Investment. Over the course of her 20 years across career, she has gotten several recognitions such as Leading Woman in Marketing and Communications 2016, Marketing Personality of the year among others. She is also a published author of the ‘Pressure Cooker-Lessons from a woman at work’ and is a female enthusiast.

Dr. Naike Moshi

Founder – CVPeople Tanzania

Dr. Naike’s journey, with over 15 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, businesswoman, and gender consultant, is one of resilience, vision, and dedication to empowering others. Her career has focused on advancing business growth, leadership, and gender diversity across Africa. As the founder of CVPeople Tanzania, she established a trusted HR consulting firm that prioritizes people-centered solutions. Her dedication to addressing gender gaps led her to create Women in Management Africa (WIMA), a platform to elevate African women into C-suite roles. WIMA provides mentorship, career development resources, and networking opportunities that empower women across the continent to break barriers and reach new heights.

Colleen Larsen

Chief Executive-Business Engage

Colleen Larsen is the Chief Executive of Business Engage, with a career spanning 28 years in the financial services market. She is widely recognized for her pioneering work in gender mainstreaming and is considered one of the leading voices for the sustainable advancement of women in the corporate and entrepreneurial sectors in South Africa. She advocates for using the business case as a foundation for transformation. One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because

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