Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been named by Forbes Magazine as the 83rd most powerful woman in the world.
Forbes magazine released its annual list of The World’s Most Powerful Women today, Wednesday, May 22, 2013.
According to Forbes, the list is made up of the 100 top female politicians and CEOs, activist billionaires and celebrities, next generation entrepreneurs and philanthropists who matter most.
Nigeria’s finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala took the 83rd spot on the list. Below is what Forbes wrote about her.
“One year in office after a failed bid to for the World Bank presidency, Nigeria’s Harvard-educated finance minister produced a 6.5% increase in GDP from 2011 to 2012. Nigeria is the third largest economy in Africa with nearly $50 billion in foreign reserves. 2013 SPOTLIGHT: Okonjo-Iweala is a member of the ethnic Igbo group and faces criticism at home for appointing Igbos to top positions in finance, most recently Nigeria’s representative to the IMF — a charge her supporters counter is a “scurrilous campaign to tarnish” her image.”
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Other Africans who made the list are Joyce Banda, President of Malawi who took the 47th spot. Last year, the female president was listed the 71st most powerful woman. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia also made the list as the 87th most powerful woman in the world.
Below is a list of other black females who made Forbes’ list of the most powerful women in the world.
#4: Michelle Obama – First Lady, United States (49-year-old)
#13: Oprah Winfrey – Entrepreneur, Personality, Media mogul (59-year-old)
#14: Ursula Burns – Chairman and CEO, Xerox (54-year-old)
#17: Beyonce Knowles Carter – Actress, Entrepreneur, Musician (31-year-old)
#44: Rosalind Brewer – President and CEO, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart Stores (50-year-old)
#49: Ertharin Cousin – Executive Director, World Food Programme, United Nations (56-year-old)
#68: Helene Gayle – President, CEO, CARE (67 years)
#84: Risa Lavizzo-Mourey – President, CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation