FEMALE LIONS’ SHORTLIST. (S2)
FUNKE OPEKE
MO ABUDU
After 20 years working in U.S.
telecoms, Funke Opeke returned
to her native Nigeria and
commenced correcting that
country's connectivity problems.
The former Verizon executive
joined public telecoms company
NITEL and learned satellites were
just part of the problem. So in
2008, she turned her engineer's
eye towards the ocean, raised
$240 million in funding and laid
4,400 miles of fibre optic cable
from Nigeria to Portugal.
'Mosunmola Abudu',
popularly called Mo Abudu,
is a Nigerian media mogul,
philanthropist, and former
human resources
management consultant.
She has been described by
Forbes as "Africa's Most
Successful Woman", and
rated as one of the "25 Most
Powerful Women in Global
Television" by 'The
Hollywood Reporter'.
OMOBOLA JOHNSON
UCHE PEDRO
Omobola Olubusola Johnson
is a Nigerian technocrat and
the Honorary Chairperson of
the global Alliance for
Affordable Internet. She is
also a former and first Minister
of Communication
Technology in the cabinet of
President Goodluck Jonathan.
Omobola is currently a
non-executive director of
Guinness Nigeria PLC and
MTN and Chairperson of
Custodian and Allied
Insurance Limited.
is a Nigerian entrepreneur. She is
the founder and CEO of
BellaNaija, a media tech brand
known for entertainment and
lifestyle content. Under her
leadership, BellaNaija's social
footprint has grown through its
collective brands - BellaNaija.com,
BellaNaija Weddings and
BellaNaija Style - to be the largest
on the African continent with more
than 200 million impressions each
month.
MOSUN OGUNBANJO
OLAJUMOKE ADENOWO
She is the founder and CEO of
MOE Identity Assets, Vice
president of Redwire Group (an
insight-driven marketing and
brands consultancy) and also
the Director of Wheatbaker.
MOE+ Art Architecture has over
20 years experience in strategic
innovative design, identity
assets, value-driven
implementation, and delivery.
They are the brain behind
GTBank’s architectural design
and also civic projects such as
Falomo ‘Under Bridge’
She is Founder of AD
Consulting, a leading
Nigerian-based architecture and
design firm, and Awesome
Treasures Foundation, a UN
recognised NGO that has
empowered over 11,000 women.
She is also the founder of
Advantage Energy, an Oil and
Gas services firm.
NIMI AKINKUGBE
OKE MADUEWESI
Nimi Akinkugbe is Founder
and Chief Executive Officer of
Bestman Games Ltd. In
December 2012 her company
launched the City of Lagos
Edition of Monopoly, the first
African city edition of Hasbro's
world famous board game
is currently the
Founder/Chief
Executive Officer
(CEO) of Zaron group
of companies,
comprising Zaron
International Limited
and Zaron Cosmetics
Limited and Skin By
Zaron, who are
manufacturers,
distributors and
marketers of beauty
care products under
the Zaron brand.
YEWANDE ZACCHEAUS
ADA OSAKWE
Yewande Zaccheaus is the
founder and CEO of Eventful a
leading events planning,
venue management and
consulting company in Lagos.
She is a lawyer and former
banker with over 18 years
corporate and legal
experience prior to
establishing Eventful Ltd in
2002.
Ada Osakwe is a Nigerian
economist, an entrepreneur
and corporate executive, who
is the founder and chief
executive officer of Agrolay
Ventures, an agribusiness
investment company based in
Nigeria, which invests in
African agricultural
food-related companies.