Women across the world are turning their dreams into reality, by securing a job or starting a business with a simple spark of an idea and a persistent drive to succeed.
To this end, women are motivated to participate, they have a sense of belonging, significance, and empowerment.
According to the United Nations (UN) on SDG Goal 5, women and girls represent half of the world’s population. On average, women in the labour market still earn 23 percent less than men globally and women spend about three times as many hours in unpaid domestic and care work as men.
Around 2.4 billion women of working age are not afforded equal economic opportunity as 178 countries maintain legal barriers that prevent women’s full economic participation even as nearly 2.4billion women globally don’t have same economic rights as men. Nevertheless, women continue to persevere and excel in their endeavors, undeterred by obstacles.
As a result, women in both corporate environments and small or medium-sized businesses have played a significant role in driving the transformative force that shapes their state’s economy. Consequently, we have witnessed countless instances of women breaking barriers and assuming roles traditionally reserved for men in the course of their duties.
Despite the contribution by women to the economy, overall, women entrepreneurs are still plagued with challenges, even more than their male counterparts.
However, to be a woman in business requires the tenacity of which is a testament to resilience, courage and an unwavering spirit of self-advocacy.
In recent times, women are coming into their own and even dominating on a large scale. Gone are the days when men take all the accolades for business-related affairs, seemingly owning economic control. That is not the case anymore as women have gradually persevered, causing power to change hands.
Top Society, in its commitment to promoting female leadership, has compiled a list of five remarkable individuals in the business and corporate world who are leading by example and achieving noteworthy feats. This initiative aims to inspire other women by showcasing that they too can excel and make significant contributions in various fields.
Folorunsho Alakija, EVC, Famfa Oil Limited
Talking about Nigerian women that have been able to build a successful career looking above any form of setback, then Folorunsho Alakija is number one on that list. She has succeeded in her career over the years without having a university degree.
Folorunsho Alakija is a Nigerian businesswoman, philanthropist, and one of the wealthiest women in Africa.
She started her career as a secretary with Sijuade Enterprises at the prestigious Western House Broad Street, Lagos after completing a secretarial course at Pitman’s Central College London. She later joined The First National Bank of Chicago (also known as Finbank PLC) as the executive secretary to the managing director after which she became the head of corporate affairs department of the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria and subsequently rose to the position of an office assistant to the treasury department.
Driven by her passion for fashion, she left the corporate world and went to study fashion design at the American College in London and the Central School of Fashion. After studying fashion in London, she came back to Nigeria and started her first fashion label Supreme Stiches which was later renamed The Rose of Sharon House of Fashion in 1996 which was later renamed The Rose of Sharon Prints and Promotions.
Her venture into the oil business started in 1993 when she got the oil Prospecting License (OPL). The license was granted to Famfa Company Limited. In collaboration with Texaco Nigeria Limited(later taken over by Chevron Nigeria Limited), it commenced full operation in 1996. Famfa became a full family business with her husband Modupe Alakija, she as the executive vice chairman (EVC), and her four sons as the executive directors.
Folorunsho Alakija has both local and world recognition as a successful career woman. She was ranked by Forbes as the richest woman in Nigeria. In 2015 she was listed as the second most powerful woman in Africa after Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and the 87th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. With a net worth of $2.1 billion Folorunsho Alakija is indeed a successful Nigerian woman.
Folake Soetan, CEO, Ikeja Electric
Folake is a business executive leader with over 22 years’ professional experience in the management of start-ups, sales and marketing, change management and over 14 years’ in leadership roles. She has a proven track record of successful transformation of struggling businesses into growing, competitive and profitable companies, and her experience spans the aviation, oil and gas, and power sectors.
Folake is a Board member of the Women in Energy Network, an association established to provide a platform for women that work across the energy industry value chain.
Currently the Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Electric Plc, the largest privately run distribution company in sub-Saharan Africa, and the foremost in Nigeria by revenue and innovation. She oversees the ongoing transformation which has earned the company remarkable recognition.
Her core belief is teamwork and collaborative leadership. The focus is always on building, leading high performing teams and cultivating a culture of professionalism and results oriented to accelerate growth.
Foluke Oyeleye, Director, Honeywell Group Limited
Foluke Oyeleye is a business leader and author, known for her deep experience in corporate governance across the telecommunications, financial, FMCG and Oil & Gas sectors. She has over 25 years of work experience in these industries and notably serves on the leadership and Board of the Nigerian Exchange Group’s subsidiary, NGX Limited, as Non-Executive Director.
Foluke currently works as a Director at Honeywell Group, a conglomerate of companies with operations across the food and agro-allied, real estate, infrastructure, energy and services sectors. She oversees operations of the Group’s corporate office as well as its international operations. Under her leadership, the Group works to ensure regulatory compliance in all of the international locations, liaising with regulatory bodies, banks and local authorities and exploring partnerships and opportunities.
She studied Social Sciences, with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University of Durham in 1995, and later acquired a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the prestigious Harvard Business School in 2006. Shortly after graduating, she worked in financial services, and as an Associate at FCMB Capital Markets (CSL Stockbrokers).
Following her MBA, she worked at Telecgsm Limited, a mobile services company and the largest distributors of Nokia mobile phones in West Africa, with operations in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. In her role as Director, Acting Chief Executive Officer, and subsequently, Operations Director, she was instrumental in setting up the first Nokia service centre in West Africa and rolling out franchise stores across the continent.
Previously, Foluke worked at Econet (now Airtel Nigeria), as National Manager, Retail and Service Centres and was part of the 7-person team who conceptualised and developed the company’s business plan, identified an operator, and successful bid for a $285m national wireless service provider license in 2001.
Foluke currently serves as Non-Executive Director on the Boards of First Registrars and Investor Services Limited; and previously, as Non-Executive Director, NGX Regulation Limited (NGX REGCO). She is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Nigeria and is a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria and United Kingdom (IoD UK).
She has authored three books to celebrate notable Nigerians under Tani Series, a publishing company set up to share creative African stories.
Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho, CEO, Future Software Resources Ltd
Nkemdilim is an exceptional Information Technology professional with over 15 years of cross-sector industry experience in Nigeria, Africa’s largest emerging economy. She combines strategic, digital technology & operational experience with a deep understanding of business transformation, change leadership & risk oversight.
She has designed and led strategy and implementation of brand digital marketing and digital transformation projects across Africa, resulting in enhanced customer experiences, customer acquisition and bottom-line growth, optimised and more cost effective operations, and a more digitally skilled labour force.
Nkemdilim currently the CEO of Future Software Resources Ltd. (Futuresoft), one of Nigeria’s leading digital and technology solutions companies, providing a broad range of solutions for the scaling African enterprise, to consistently attract and retain its target audience, optimise its processes and increase its bottom line.
Futuresoft has served over 200 clients across 20 industries and has trained over 1,500 CEOs, executives and board members in digital.
Her entrepreneurial background, involvement in the global and pan-African technology landscape and a focus on building the Nigerian technology ecosystem through enabling policy development, investing, education and mentoring, affords her a deep understanding of cutting edge innovation, emerging and disruptive technologies, as well as access to a large network of technology leaders, policy makers and investors across the continent and globally.
Nkemdilim has been recognised as an Obama Africa Leader, Forbes’s Top Ten Female Tech Founders in Africa, Global Digital Women top 10 Most Inspiring Women in Africa, Lionesses of Africa top 100 Women & Ventures Africa 42 most Innovative Africans.
She currently serves on private, public sector & listed company boards including Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Novare Investment Fund Ltd, Lagos State Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC) and The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria. Nkem also sits on the advisory boards of The BudgIT Foundation & Global Leaders Today USA.
Over the years, she has served in the leadership of the NESG Digital Economy Thematic group; and was a member of The Nigerian National IT Software Committee and the Nigerian Electronic Voting Think Tank, where she contributed to the advancement of digitalisation and shaping policy to support its inclusive delivery.
Ndidi Nwuneli, Female Entrepreneur
Ndidi Nwuneli, is a prominent Nigerian lady who aims to break down barriers in order to be successful as a female entrepreneur in Africa. She has been able to build a successful career over time.
Raised in Enugu State, South East region of Nigeria and attended both primary and high school there before she proceeded to study global and strategic management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.
She began her career as a management consultant with the famed McKinsey & Company. With her passion and concern for Africa, she decided to return to Nigeria to engage in formal leadership development and training for youth.
She founded the FATE Foundation, which intended to create one entrepreneur in every household. After successfully building the FATE Foundation in 2000, Ndidi founded her own non-profit LEAP Africa in 2002 to realize her goal of youth development.
She has also accomplished a great deal in Nigeria over the years, earning her a lot of accomplishments and she has gained both national and international recognition.
In 2003, the World Economic Forum recognized her as a Global Leader of Tomorrow and Young Global Leader. She was also named ThisDay Newspapers’ Young Manager of the Year.
In 2007, she also earned a national honour, Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), from Nigeria’s President, as well as an outstanding award from Harvard Business School’s African Business Club. She was also named one of Forbes’ 20 Youngest Powerful Women in Africa. Ndidi has undoubtedly transformed Africa with her incredible works.
