Top 10 Influential Igbo Women in Nigeria

Women are seen as the weaker gender in many societies. For this reason, they are often relegated to homely duties like childbearing, housekeeping, cooking childcare and more. But this status quo is rapidly changing in today’s society. The Igbo people are known to be very hardworking. To see some fascinating facts about the Igbo people, click here. Although the traditional Igbo society is patriarchal, it does not limit the influence and leadership of the women to Point Zero. Igbo women then were active farmers, traders and activists. The history of the Aba Women Riot portrays their roles in traditional societies. Igbo women have not ceased to exhibit their relevance, and their contribution to nation-building cannot be swept under the carpet.
Below are some Igbo women who are highly influential, whose names speak volumes and have their impacts felt at national and international levels.

10. Sandra Ezekwesili

Sandra Sopuluchukwu Ezekwesili is a Nigerian broadcast journalist, and media personality from Nara-Unateze, Nkanu-East Local Government Area. Sandra has been an OAP with charisma. She has worked with Radio Bayelsa, Ray Power FM Yenogoa, Cool FM Port Harcourt, and Nigeria Info Lagos. Sandra is also an event host, MC, public speaker and advocate for consent Education. For the sake of clarity, Sandra Ezekwesili is not related to Obiageli Ezekwesili.

9. Stella Okoli

Stella Chiyelu Okoli is a pharmacist, entrepreneur and philanthropist who hails from Nnewi in Anambra State. She was born in 1944.
Stella Okoli, having worked for several pharmaceutical firms like Middlesex Hospital, London, Boots the Chemists Limited and Pharma-Deko, started a small pharmacy retail shop called Emzor Chemists Limited in 1971. Thereafter she improved to wholesale, then importation and distribution. In 1977, Stella Okoli took a step further to establish Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited. Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited today in Nigeria has three factories, over 140 locally produced drugs, and a 25% share of the analgesic market.
Stella Okoli’s Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is also into the production of vaccines and medical equipment. This company is also located in other West African countries like Ghana, Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone.
Stella Okoli runs a non-profit organisation called Chike Okoli Foundation (named after her late son) which aims at fighting against poverty and diseases by raising awareness on cardiovascular diseases. She also runs the Chike Okoli Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies at Nnamdi Azikiwe University where more than 250 students are trained in entrepreneurship every year. She has received several awards, including the CePATHonors Lifetime Achievement Award (2014), the Ernst and Young Lifetime Achievement Award (2016), the Institute of Directors Lifetime Achievement Award (2016), International Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) Award, as well as the ECOWAS International Gold Award. In recognition of her achievements and contributions to the health sector in Nigeria, Stella Okoli was bestowed with the Member of the Order of the Niger award.

8. Obiageli Ezekwesili

Oby Ezekwesili is from Anambra State. She was born on 28th April 1963. Oby has served as the Minister of Solid Minerals (Mines and Steel). She was also a former federal Minister of Education. Obiageli Ezekwesili has also served as the Vice President of the World Bank (African Region). She championed the “Bring Back our Girls” movement, advocating for the release of the Chibok Girls abducted by Boko Haram.

7. Nwapa Adaobi Stella

Nwapa Adaobi is a General Manager, at Zenith Bank Plc. She hails from Imo State, Nigeria. She is currently the Group Zonal Head, Ikoyi Zone, with management and supervisory responsibilities over branches and business units in the zone. Adobi joined Zenith Bank in 1990 and has over thirty (30) years cognate banking experience, most of which have been in Senior Management positions. She purchased millions of the bank’s shares worth N97 million. The new acquisition, therefore, shoots Nwapa’s total number of shares in the bank to 15,046,095 units. Her Degree in History does not deprive her of achieving greatness in the field of finance. She is an inspiration to many people in the field.

6. Arunma Oteh

Arunma Oteh is from Abia State, Nigeria. She worked at the Africa Development Bank for 17 years where she was a Group Treasurer and later became a Group Vice President, Corporate Services. She started her career at Centre Point Investments Limited, Nigeria in 1985.
After that, she served as Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. During this period, she rebuilt the Nigerian capital markets after the global financial crisis and served on Nigeria’s Economic Management team.
Arunma kept building her ladder and later joined the World Bank where she became a Treasurer and later on a Vice President. As Treasurer, she leads a team that manages a USD 200 billion debt portfolio, assets totalling USD 200 billion for 65 internal and external clients including the World Bank Group, central banks, sovereign wealth funds and other official institutions. She and her team also maintain the World Bank’s global reputation as a prudent and innovative borrower in over 50 currencies by executing transactions and carefully coordinating credit rating and capital market relationships for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). They also leverage a derivatives portfolio of more than USD 600 billion for risk management and process annual cashflows of more than USD 7 trillion. She is also responsible for an extensive financial advisory business for World Bank clients.

In 2018, Oteh left the World Bank to become an academic scholar at St Antony’s College, Oxford University. She was also an executive-in-residence at Saïd Business School. It is important to note that Arunma Oteh holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a First Class Honors Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Nigeria Nsukka.

Oteh was made an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in “recognition of her contribution to economic development and to transforming the Nigerian capital markets” in 2011. 2020 Powerlist listed Oteh as one of the most influential people in the UK of African/African-Caribbean heritage. She was also named the Africa Investor Capital Market Personality of the Year in 2014 and received the 2016 New African Woman Award in Finance and Banking. She was also recently named the 2018 Ai Global Institutional Investment Personality of the Year.

5. Onyeka Onwenu

Onyeka Onwenu is from Ide-ato in Imo State, born on 31st January, 1952. She is a singer, songwriter, newsreader, actress and activist. She has been influential since the days of her youth when she was a newsreader and reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). She was known for her anti-corruption pose as a broadcaster.
Later on, Onyeka Onwenu added music to her career as a journalist. Her songs were songs that spoke to the listeners. She sang songs promoting the peaceful and mutual coexistence of Nigerians, respect for human rights, women’s emancipation, the plight of children, and even HIV/AIDS awareness. Starting with secular songs, she delved and settled into gospel songs in the 1990s. Onyeka Onwenu is also a classic and award-winning actress who starred in many Nollywood movies like Nightmare, Conspiracy, Women’s Cot, Rising Moon, Half of a Yellow Sun, Lionheart and more. As a true demonstrator of One Nigeria which she sang, Onyeka who is an Igbo Christian was married to a Yoruba Muslim.

4. Genevieve Nnaji

Genevieve Nnaji is an actress, model, entrepreneur, movie director and producer who hails from Mbaise, Imo State, born on 3rd May 1979. She is likable and hardworking and this has earned her an esteemed space as one of the most successful Nollywood actresses. This beautiful screen goddess keeps looking younger than her age every day. Genevieve Nnaji has the spirit of initial winning. She was the first actress to win the Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She was the first to win the City People Award for best actress. Genevieve was also the first to best Actress award of Censors Board of Nigeria. Stunning right? Yea. But that’s not all. Genevieve’s debut production “Road to Yesterday” won the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards as the best movie overall – West Africa. Her directorial debut movie “Lionheart” was the first Netflix original movie from Nigeria.
Genevieve is also a feminist and activist for women’s rights.

3. Linda Ikeji

Linda Ifeoma Ikeji is from Nkwerre in Imo State, born on 19th September 1980. She is a blogger, entrepreneur and writer, best known for her LindaIkeji blog and her social media presence. Linda is a former model. She controls LindaIkeji Blog, Lindaikeji Media Office, Lindaikeji Music and Lindaikeji Social. Linda ventured into film production in 2023, producing Dark October as her debut. She has created a cultural influence for herself. She has impacted the lives of people not just by blogging but also as a philanthropist. Linda does giveaways on her social media platforms. She helps young female aspiring entrepreneurs to start up, and she donated millions to fight against Ebola.
Linda Ikeji is known to be controversial, especially with her blog posts. This led to the closure of her blog which was reopened in a couple of days. In this internet age, many netizens believe that someone or something is important if the queen blogger says it is. That is how great her influence is.

2. Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie

Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie is a Nigerian-American writer who hails from Abba in Anambra State, born on 15th September 1977. She is best known for her novel: Half of a Yellow Sun. Her other works include Purple Hibiscus, Americanah, Things Around Your Neck, We Should All Be Feminist and more. Chimamanda Adichie is a staunch feminist and a lady who does not entertain her continent or tribe being talked down. She delivered several TED talks like “The Danger of a Single Story, We should All be Feminist, and more. Part of her TEDx talk were sampled in Beyoncé’s Flawless. She facilitates the writing workshop – Purple Hibiscus Trust Writing Workshop which was formerly known as “Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop which has graduated over 200 participants. Akwaeke Emezi, Chukwuebuka Ibeh and other young notable writers were participants in this workshop. Chimamanda was born Ngozi Grace Adichie. Her confirmation name was Amanda. Her mother’s name was Grace; Ngozi was a common name in Eastern Nigeria. To get an Igbo and unique name to stand out, she converted her name from Amanda to Chimamanda.

1. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is from Ogwashi-Uku, an Igbo community in Delta State, born on 13th June 1954. She is a Nigerian-American economist and author who happened to be the first African Director General of World Trade Organisation and also doubled as the first female Director General of World Trade Organisation. Ngozi’s influence was also felt in World Bank where she worked for 25 years. She was a Managing Director of Operations at World Bank where she made outstanding contributions and would be remembered for that.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was not only functional in the international space. She was also impactful on the national stage. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was the first woman to serve as the Finance Minister and also the longest-serving minister in that office. Ngozi is one of the best ministers in Nigerian history. Little wonder that she served as the Finance Minister (twice) under different administrations. Okonjo-Iweala also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as a Coordinating Minister for the economy.
Praises were sung to Ngozi’s name when she was a Finance Minister under His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo as she achieved the great feat of clearing Nigeria’s foreign debt. Her contribution to the progress of the national economy cannot be overemphasized.

This great Igbo woman is an author and also the mother of Nigerian renowned writer- Uzodimma Iweala, author of Beast of No Nation. Books written by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are: Reforming the Unreformable: Lessons from Nigeria, Women and Leadership: Conversations with Some of the World’s Most Powerful Women, Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons (both “Women and Leadership” were co-authored with Julia Gillard), Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines, Transparency and Accountability in the Management of Public Funds: How Sensibly Must African Countries Stand?, and Chinua Achebe, Teacher of Light: A Biography (co-authored with Tijan Sallah).
She was named by Fortune magazine as one of the 50 greatest world leaders in 2015, and by Forbes for five consecutive years as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world. In 2014, Dr Okonjo-Iweala was recognised by Time magazine as one of the world’s 100 most influential people. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is not only considered the most influential Igbo woman; many see her as the most influential woman in Nigeria.