Ascent Magazine: Strategies, Stories, and Insights From Africa’s Most Powerful Women in Leadership
A premium leadership publication for ambitious corporate women ready to move beyond visibility into lasting authority, institutional influence, and boardroom power.
Starting from ₦9,999 | Print & Digital | Delivery Nationwide
Top 100 Career Women in Africa, 2026
Is someone you know on this year's list?
Now in its sixth year, the Ascent Top 100 Career Women in Africa has grown from a Nigeria-focused recognition into a pan-African landmark. It is a living archive of leadership that extends beyond titles into institutions, industries, and continental impact.
This edition features 100 women steering financial institutions, scaling technology ventures, shaping media narratives, influencing policy, and strengthening corporate governance frameworks across the continent and beyond.
Why Ascent Magazine?
In boardrooms, C-suite roles and across industries, women are stepping up. They are taking charge and changing the game. Ascent Magazine brings you insider strategies, expert advice, and bold stories from Africa’s most influential career women who are making history one power move at a time.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Reclaiming the Narrative of Female Power in African Boardrooms
Dr. Glory Edozien
Founder, Ascent Club and Convenor, Top 100 Career Women in Africa
“Visibility may open the door. But presence determines whether that visibility translates into influence and ultimately, into power.”
This edition confronts the deeper truth about women in leadership: getting into the room is no longer the finish line. What happens once you’re there, how you carry your authority, shape decisions, and build lasting influence; that is where the real work begins.
COVER FEATURE
Presence, Power & Prestige:
Onyeka Michael-Ugwu on the Art of Building a Life & Career That Speaks.
In the fast-moving world of medical aesthetics, it is easy to get caught up in trends and the pressure to perform. Onyeka Michael-Ugwu, Founder and CEO of Hello Perfect Aesthetic and Laser Clinic, has built her career by doing the exact opposite. She is more interested in the long game and what it means to build something that speaks for you long after you’ve left the room.
“Visibility can be manufactured. Presence cannot. Authority is not about being loud. It’s about standing firmly in what you know, without feeling the need to shrink or dilute it.”
Inside This Issue
Each article is written by or features senior executive women with decades of real-world leadership experience, and every piece is designed to give you something you can practically use to move your career forward.
01
Leadership · Analysis
Presence Over Performance: How Leadership Expectations for Women Are Shifting in 2026
The rules of leadership are being rewritten and the women who understand the shift are already ahead.
02
Executive Wellness
Emotional Regulation: The Hidden Labour of Staying Calm Under Pressure
By Carol Ariyibi, Group Head, Corporate Transformation, ARM Holding Company Ltd
The skill no one talks about in leadership development, and the one that separates good executives from great ones.
03
Visibility & Authority
Media Features and How They Strengthen Authority
By Dr. Deborah David, Chief Financial Officer, Powergas
Numbers don’t walk into rooms ahead of you. Your reputation does — here is how to build it strategically.
04
Governance · Strategy
Building Institutional Influence Beyond Personal Success
By Ebere Okwarabizie, Head, HR & Admin, Propetrol Limited
What happens to an organisation when its strongest leader walks out the door — and how to make sure yours survives.
05
Boardroom Leadership
Staying Grounded in High-Pressure Rooms: A Governance Framework for Decisions That Matter
By Daniela Simão, Board Advisor & NED | Founder, Guardians of Governance®
When the stakes are highest, most executives manage the stress instead of the problem. This framework fixes that.
06
Community Voices
Exploring Presence Through the Eyes of Africa’s Top Career Women
Seven senior executive women answer the one question every ambitious woman navigating complex power dynamics is asking.
07
Event Recap
Visibility & Prosecco: Inside Ascent Club’s Intimate London Experience
Hosted by Dr. Glory Edozien, Central London
A room full of high-achieving African women in the diaspora get honest about visibility, access, and influence.
Like what you’re seeing?
Get the full edition in print or as an instant e-copy — starting from ₦9,999.
FEATURED SNIPPETS
Real Words from Real Leaders
WHO THIS IS FOR
This edition is for you if:
You Are A High-Achieving Executive
who is done proving yourself and ready to shape what happens next, in your organisation and across the continent.
You Are An Emerging Leader
who is accelerating — building presence, expanding influence, and positioning for the C-suite and boardroom.
You Are A Visionary Professional
who knows that visibility, mentorship, and strategic positioning matter as much as technical excellence.
You Are A Purpose-led Leader
ready to lead not just with competence, but with conviction, building a legacy that outlives your tenure.
Launch Gallery
The April 2026 edition of Ascent Magazine was unveiled at the Top 100 Career Women in Africa 2026 event — a gathering of Africa’s most accomplished professional women, in a room that proved, once again, that presence is everything.
This is the publication the continent’s top corporate women are reading, referencing, and passing on to the women they mentor.
Ascent Magazine · April 2026
Your Next Level Starts With The Right Playbook.
Starting from ₦9,999 | Print & Digital | Delivery Nationwide
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Missed the 2025 Edition?
The March 2025 edition of Ascent Magazine featuring Pearl Nkrumah, Chairperson of the Council of the General Stock Exchange, the Top 100 Career Women in Africa 2025, and our deep-dive on women’s career growth trends, is still available as an e-copy. Anchored on the theme of Visibility, it’s a must-have for every high-flying executive woman in the corporate scene.
FAQs
Is this a print or digital magazine?
The April 2026 edition is available in both print and as an e-copy. The 2025 edition is available as an e-copy only. Choose the format that works for you at checkout.
Who writes for Ascent Magazine?
Ascent Magazine is a mix of in-depth editorial features developed by our team and articles written by or featuring senior executive women — CFOs, board directors, legal executives, and governance experts. Every piece is researched, substantive, and designed to give you something valuable and practical.
Is this only for women in Nigeria?
No. This edition features women and stories from across Africa — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Senegal, and beyond.
What if I want to be featured or advertised in the next edition?
Reach out to us at Ascent@inspiredbyglory.com and we’ll share the details.
