This article examines ten wealthiest women in Nigeria. It categorically looks at the top 10 richest women in Nigeria. These are women of thought who have done extensive works in their industries and communities.
These women grew themselves into multimillionaires and are now enjoying the fruits of their labour. Because they worked hard for it, today, these amazing women can boast of millions of dollars in their bank accounts made from involvement in various businesses.
Top 10 Richest Women in Nigeria
Below are the top 10 richest women in Nigeria in no particular order.
The richest woman in Nigeria, with a net worth of over $2.5 billion currently, is the Nigerian investor and business magnate, Folrunsho Alakija. She does not only hold the position in Nigeria but also in Africa.
As the chairman and CEO of FAMFA Oil, Folrunsho Alakija is also the CEO of the Rose of Sharon Group which is made up of two companies; The Rose of Sharon Prints & Promotions Limited and Digital Reality Prints Limited.
In 2014, she became the African richest woman in the world, beating Oprah Winfrey for a while. She was born on the 15th of July 1951 in Lagos. She had her primary education in the UK but had her secondary education in Ogun State. She went back to London where she got a diploma in secretarial studies and a degree in fashion design.
Mo Abudu is a Nigerian investor and CEO of EbonyLife TV, a network that reaches about 49 African countries, not to mention the Carrribean and the UK. She chose Tinapa Resort in Calabar, Cross River state as her headquarters, probably because the city is her hometown.
Mo Abudu was born on the 11th of September 1964 in London, and was educated in the UK. She rounded up her education with a degree in law form the University of Westminster in England.
Her company announced a three-year partnership for the production of The Dahomey Warriors, a series focused on the exploits of the Amazon women.
Her estimated net worth is around $580 million.
Bola Shagaya is not only one of the richest women in Nigeria, but also one of the richest in Africa. She is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bolmus Group, and managing director of Practoil limited. She is married to Alhaji Shagaya, a mega transporter in Kwara state.
Bola has business holdings all over the world, with a business that span across Assa, Australia, and Europe. She studied economics at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, and accountancy at Armstrong College, California.
Notably, she worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria as an auditor, before she began the importation and distribution of Konica photography products in 1983 to both Nigeria and the West African market.
She is a real estate dealer and has over 300 employees under her in that industry alone.
Her estimated net worth is around $1.9 billion.
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Daisy Danjuma
Daisy Danjuma is the wife of TY Danjuma, a Nigerian businessman and billionaire. She is the executive Vice-chairman of Atlantic Petroleum limited, an investor, and a lawyer. She was born in 1952 in Edo state but schooled in the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where she obtained her bachelor of degree in law.
During her National Youth Service days, she served at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice as a state counsel. She was called to bar in 1977 and was one of the founders of the legal aid council of Nigeria. She has worked in different capacities, serving as an Executive Assistant at Nigerian Acceptances Limited, a Merchant Bank, and as a legal adviser to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
During her four-year tenure in the Senate, Daisy Danjuma was a member of strategic groups that focused on women and children affairs, and example being the Chairman of the Women and Child Right Committee of the Economic Community of West African States. She is also noted for completely removing the menace of female genital mutilation in her state of origin.
Her net worth is said to be about 1.7 million dollars.
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Stella Oduah
With a net worth of over $550 million, this Sea Petroleum CEO occupies the eighth position on this list. Stella Oduah is of royal blood, as the daughter of Igwe D.O. Oduah. She was a Nigerian senator and a former minister of aviation, who interestingly, is married to a former minister of works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi.
Stella Oduah was appointed in 2011 as minister, but removed in 2014, serving for only 3 years. She schooled in the US and holds a Bachelors degree in accounting, and a Masters in business administration.
She worked in the NNPC between 1983 and1992 before moving to establish her company.
An architect by profession, Fifi Ejindu is the chairman and CEO of Starcrest group of companies which began operations in 1995. It is made up of three companies namely Starcrest Investment Ltd, Starcrest Associates Ltd, and Starcrest Industries Ltd. These companies specialize in oil and gas, real estate, and building construction respectively.
With an estimated net worth of 850 million dollars, Fifi Ejindu has recieved numerous awards such as the African Achievers Arts and Fashion Lifetime Achievement awards. She is originally from the southern part of Nigeria, but was born in the western state of Oyo.
Fifi Ejindu hails from the family of King James Ekpo Bassey of Cobham Town in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. She had her primary and secondary education in Nigeria, before schooling at Pratt Institute, a design school in New York, where she made history as the first black woman to graduate with degree in architecture in 1983.
Stella Okoli was born in Kano sate Nigeria in 1944. She is the chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Emzor Pharmaceuticals, the makers of the popular Emzor Paracetamol. Being 74 years old, she is rather one of the oldest women on this list.
She hails from Nnewi in Anambra state and had her primary education at All Saints Primary School, Onitsha. She studied at the University of Bradford, England, where she graduated with a B.Sc in pharmacy.
Stella Okoli went on to become the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. Her company started as a small Chemist Store in Somolu, Lagos, before blowing up to be the multi-million naira company it is now.
She deserves to be named among the top 10 richest women in Nigeria.
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Diezani Alison-Madueke
Sitting comfortably on this list of the top 10 richest women in Nigeria is a former Nigerian minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
She is a politician, entrepreneur and a business guru. Born on the 6th of December 1960 in Port Hacourt, she made histoy as the first female president of OPEC. Diezani is a graduate of Architecture from schools in both the US and UK.
Shortly after her graduation she started work in Shell Petroleum Development Corporation. She has also served Nigeria as a transportation minister in 2007. This was her first ministerial appointment, before she was appointed as a minister over the Mines and Steel Development in 2008.
Her net worth has been estimated to be around $400milllion.
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Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The famous financial guru, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala could not have been anywhere better than on this list of the top 10 richest women in Nigeria. She is an entrepreneur, investor, economist, and business magnate. She is well known for occupying the position of World Bank Director-General. She attended 3 different schools namely Queen’s School Enugu, Anne’s School and International school, both located in Ibadan.
She had her degree education in America, graduating from the prestigious Havard University in 1976 with a B.Sc in Economics. Five years later, she was awarded with a Ph.D from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She had an extensive career at the World Bank, where she finally became director in 2007. She has served as a minister of finance twice under President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan.
Her net worth stands around $500m.
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Bimbo Alase
When counting the top 10 richest women in Nigeria, you cannot leave out Bimbo Alase. Bimbo Alase is the chief executive officer and chairman of her company, Leatherworld. Known for her modesty, the business mogul attended a number of schools in the United Kingdom and has used her resources to establish several entrepreneurs.
Her company, Leatherwold based in Nigeria, deals in the sales of exquisite leather furniture, which she seeks to take to other African countries. It is a well-known household name for high quality furniture products in Nigeria. Before becoming the CEO of this highly praised company, she ran a gift shop and salon in Lagos.
Her net worth currently stands at over $600 million.
