For the past four years, Forbes Magazine has been compiling the list of the “20 Youngest Power Women In Africa” and its 2014 edition has been released. The list is made up of 20 young women who are under the age of 45 and making an impact in Africa and Africa communities around the globe. They are the 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa working in technology, politics, diplomacy, business and several other sectors.
The list was compiled by Forbes contributor, Mfonobong Nsehe who made a request for nominations in November and said he received more than 700 nominees. See the 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa in 2014 that scale through the huge list of nominees.
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Fatima-Zahra Mansouri: This 38-year old woman is the Mayor of Marrakech, the third biggest city in Morocco with over 1 million inhabitants. She was elected in 2009 while she was 33.
Ada Osakwe: She’s Nigerian and 34. This young woman is the Advisor to the Honourable Minister Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria. She has been described as the best-performing member of President Goodluck Jonathan’s kitchen cabinet. Before taking a public position, she was the Vice President of Kuramo Capital, an investment management firm based in New York – as well as in several African Development Banks.
Amy Jadesimi: A 39-year-old Nigerian businesswoman and the Managing Director of the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL.
Naisula Lesuuda: At 30, Lesuuda is a journalist, Peace Ambassador and Girl Child champion. She is also a Senator and the youngest female member of the Senate, the upper house of the Parliament of Kenya.
Amira Elmissiry: She’s 31 and from Zimbabwe. This woman is the Special Assistant to the President of the African Development Bank (ADB), a multilateral development finance institution established to promote the economic development and social progress of African countries.
Rimini Makama: She’s a Nigeria, 34, and the Communications Director at Africa Practice, Africa’s foremost strategy and communications consultancy.
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Afua Osei: (Ghanaian) and Yasmin Belo-Osagie (Nigerian) are both 27 and Co-Founders of She Leads Africa, a platform that provides the most talented female entrepreneurs across the continent with access to the knowledge, networks and financing needed to build and scale strong businesses.
Phumzile Van Damme: South African and Member Of Parliament. At 31, Phumzile Van Damme is one of the youngest members of South Africa’s Parliament.
Tebogo Mashego: This 32-year-old South African entrepreneur is one of the very few women operating in South Africa’s metal and aluminium manufacturing industry.
Naadiya Moosajee: The 30-year-old South African is the Co-founder of Women In Engineering – a global non-profit organization aimed at attracting, developing and nurturing the next generation of women engineering leaders through various streams, including workshops for high school students, an annual innovation challenge for university students and networking events for women in the engineering industry.
Irene Koki Mutungi: This 39-year-old Kenyan Pilot was appointed in April as a Captain on the Boeing B787 Dreamliner, making her the first African female Dreamliner Captain in the world.
Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji: She’s 31 and a Nigerian Social entrepreneur. She is the Founder of RISE NETWORKS, a Nigeria-based private and public sector funded Youth Interest social enterprise with a primary focus on wholesome youth and education development.
Yvonne Khamati: She’s Kenyan and the Deputy Head of Mission at Kenya Embassy in Somalia. In 2007, former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki appointed her as Kenya’s head of Chancery and deputy permanent representative to the Kenya Mission to the United Nations Office in Nairobi.
Kamayirese Germaine: This Rwandese is 33 and trained as an engineer. She is the Minister of State in Charge of Energy, Water and Sanitation in the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), Rwanda.
Adiat Disu: this 27-year-old Nigerian is the founder of African Fashion Week, one of the most popular international African-focused fashion events. She is an international publicist and founder of Adirée, a New York-based communications and brand strategy company.
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Jamila Abass, Linda Kwamboka, and Susan Oguya: these three young Kenyan women are the Kenyan mobile software company that may possibly transform the fortunes of millions of African farmers if duplicated through numerous African countries.
Tabetha Kanengoni Malinga: She’s a Zimbabwean and the Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture. She was appointed last year and at age 32. She is the youngest member of President Robert Mugabe’s cabinet and also functions as a Member of Parliament, representing Mazowe Central Constituency.
Read their full profile on the Forbes website.