Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Co-Founder of Sahel Consulting,  Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli,  and art enthusiast, Bolanle Austen-Peters have been listed among 100 women leading change in development across Africa.

A survey conducted by Donors for Africa Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, listed other women pacesetters to include former Liberia president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Ekiti State first lady, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Kiki Mordi, Ini Abimbola Sarah Lagot, Onyeka Akpaida, Hauwa Ojiefor, Chisom Obi-Jeff, Jokate Mwegelo, and H.E Sahle-Work Zwede among others.
Speaking on why these women are being recognised, Mrs. Chidi Koldsweat, Founder, Donors for Africa Foundation, organisers of the survey, stated that there is a need for increased focus and investment in the women who are leading development conversations in unconventional roles in Africa.
According to her, nominations were received publicly to identify women in varying roles in development from different African countries.
Said Koldsweat: “These women are stars that are actively impacting their local communities through their work in international organisations, private and public sector companies, nonprofit organizations, media, and politics.
“They were nominated, selected and we are celebrating them for their impact and commitment towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
She noted that every woman on the list can be identified and tangible results were seen in their local communities as making a difference. We were also careful to identify women in the formal development sector who may not be founders but are equally using their skills and competence to create life-changing results.
She reiterated the belief of the organisation to shine the light on the role these women play as they work tirelessly to accelerate the #2030 Sustainable Development Goal and the #2063 African Union Agenda.
Donors for Africa Foundation is a grant management organisation working with Government, Funding Institutions, Philanthropy Organisation, Private and Public Sector, other NGOs, and Social Impact Leaders to break cycles of poverty. They also connect funding and development agencies to competent organisations implementing change on the African continent.
The vision Donors for Africa Foundation is to provide long-lasting solutions to development challenges on the African continent by strengthening the capacity of impact-driven organisations to achieve a continent-wide change.