In today’s fast-changing business world, executive power is no longer defined solely by authority; it’s increasingly measured by impact. Nowhere is this shift more evident than in Nigeria, where women are steadily rising through the ranks.
Though women make up over 60% of the skilled workforce, they hold just 28–29% of C-suite positions in the formal private sector, a figure that highlights both the progress made and the road still ahead. Yet even within this imbalance, Nigeria stands out among Africa’s largest economies, with 10% of its top 100 companies now led by women CEOs.
These numbers tell a powerful story. Nigerian women are breaking the glass ceiling and reshaping the very architecture of leadership. They’re stepping into senior roles not merely to command, but to build, serve, and transform entire industries from within.
This feature spotlights five exceptional women leading with both power and purpose across critical sectors of the Nigerian, and African, economy, including finance, energy, coaching, and social innovation. Each one brings a bold, distinct approach that is redefining what leadership looks like and inspiring the next generation to lead on their own terms.
YEMISI EDUN
Managing Director/CEO, First City Monument Bank (FCMB)
Yemisi Edun is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), the first woman to hold this position in the bank’s history. Before becoming CEO, she served as Chief Financial Officer and later as Executive Director at FCMB. Her leadership has been pivotal in steering FCMB through Nigeria’s complex regulatory shifts, including the Central Bank’s recent recapitalization directive.
Under her watch, FCMB executed a ₦110.94 billion public offer in September 2024, followed by a ₦340 billion shareholder-approved capital raise in December 2024. The bank also completed a ₦147.5 billion rights issue, boosting its capital base to over ₦240 billion, surpassing the national banking license threshold, though still below the ₦500 billion required for international status.
Yemisi has also championed digital banking and inclusive finance, with FCMB’s performance reflecting her steady hand. For the year ending December 31, 2024, the bank posted a Profit Before Tax of ₦111.9 billion, a 71% increase year-on-year.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Yemisi Edun combines strategic vision with a measured leadership approach, positioning FCMB for sustained growth, resilience, and a stronger role in Nigeria’s evolving economic landscape.
OLU VERHEIJEN
Special Adviser on Energy to the President | Founder, Latimer Energy
Olu Verheijen is a leading voice at the intersection of energy, investment, and public policy. As the founder of Latimer Energy, she specializes in optimizing oil and gas projects across Africa through commercial and operational improvements. In a sector critical to national development, Verheijen stands out as one of the few women influencing long-term policy and investment decisions. In her role as Special Adviser on Energy to President Bola Tinubu, she has spearheaded reforms that unlocked over $6 billion in foreign direct investment and advanced efforts to restore Nigeria’s power sector through smart metering and debt resolution strategies.
With over 20 years of experience, her career spans major institutions, including Shell, where she negotiated more than $5 billion in gas and M&A deals; as well as Persistent Energy and Latimer Energy, where she has led strategic energy transformations across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Verheijen holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Long Island University. She also lends her expertise as an advisor to the Millennium Challenge Corporation, overseeing global development projects worth $14 billion, and to the Energy for Growth Hub, where she helps shape policies aimed at ending energy poverty.
BOLA MATEL-OKOH
Founder, BMO Advisory Services & Women’s Lifestyle Hub | Executive Coach | Non-Executive Director, Wema Bank PLC
Bola Matel-Okoh is a multifaceted leader reshaping executive power through law, finance, and business management. A dual-qualified lawyer (Nigeria and New York Bar) with 30 years of experience, she has handled high-stakes cases, including the final phase of a multibillion-dollar insurance class action litigation. In 2015, she transitioned from law into corporate governance, joining Wema Bank PLC as a Non-Executive Director. She is also the CEO of Havilah Ventures, a diversified group with interests in real estate, corporate branding, health, wellness, and beauty.
Bola, who honed her leadership acumen at institutions like Harvard Business School and INSEAD, founded The Women’s Lifestyle Hub (WLH) in 2022, a transformative community for female executives. Since then, she has focused on equipping women for C-suite and board-level leadership through structured programs such as the 6-Week Leadership Induction and a year-long membership model. In the last few months, she has been touring major cities across the world, hosting intimate gatherings that bring women leaders together for honest conversations, shared insights, and purposeful connection.
Bola was named “Super Achiever” Peak Performing Woman of the Year (2023) and included in Leading Ladies Africa’s 100 Most Inspiring Women (2024) and ABCD Africa’s 100 Most Impactful Voices (2024).
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli (MFR)
CEO/President, ONE Campaign
Since April 2024, Ndidi Nwuneli has served as President and CEO of the ONE Campaign, a global advocacy organization focused on amplifying African influence on global development agendas. With over 25 years of experience in social innovation, she is the founder of LEAP Africa, co-founder of AACE Foods, and serves on the boards of the Rockefeller Foundation, Chanel Foundation, Stanbic IBTC Group, the Forum of Young Global Leaders, and the Bridgespan Group.
In 2024-2025, Ndidi secured high-impact partnerships with the World Bank, Citi Foundation, and the Aspen Institute, driving initiatives on food security and empower youth leadership across Nigeria and East Africa. Her influence spans from grassroots changemaking to boardroom strategy, redefining how Africa builds sustainable social and economic systems.
A TED speaker, Ndidi has earned global recognition as a Schwab Fellow and Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She has also received a National Honor from the Nigerian Government and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Harvard Business School. With an MBA from Harvard, she has demonstrated thought leadership through fellowships at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government at Harvard Kennedy School, the Aspen Institute, and the Eisenhower Fellowship, and a visiting scholarship at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy.
Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON
Group MD/CEO, Zenith Bank
Appointed in June 2024, Dr. Adaora Umeoji became the first female Group Managing Director and CEO of Zenith Bank, marking a historic milestone for one of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions. With over 30 years of banking experience, including 26 years at Zenith Bank, she brings deep institutional knowledge and visionary leadership to the role.
In her first year at the helm, Umeoji delivered exceptional financial outcomes: gross earnings climbed to ₦3.97 trillion (an 86% increase), profit before tax rose to ₦1.33 trillion (+67%), and net interest income jumped 135% from 2023 levels. Under her leadership, Zenith Bank successfully raised over ₦350 billion in a hybrid rights issue and public offer, positioning it as one of the first Nigerian banks to surpass the Central Bank’s ₦500 billion capital requirement for international banks, well ahead of the 2026 deadline. The bank also retained top industry recognition, including Best Commercial Bank and Best Corporate Governance in Nigeria at the 2024 World Finance Awards.
A UN-POLAC Peace Advocate, Dr. Umeoji holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Apollos University, a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, an MBA from the University of Calabar, and a certificate in Economics for Business from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
