The 100 Most Influential Africans of 2023.

New African Magazine has released its annual list of the 100 Most Influential Africans for 2023 in its special edition of the same name, offering a comprehensive and insightful look into the lives and achievements of the selected individuals.

This list celebrates the achievements and contributions of Africans from various fields and sectors that have had a positive impact on the continent and the world. The magazine also provides a platform for readers to learn from its stories, to be inspired by its examples.

The list

The list features a diverse and inspiring group of men and women who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, leadership and vision in their respective fields.

Included are politicians, businesspeople, industrialists, environmentalists, creatives, scientists, educators, sports figures and much more. It also reflects changing trends and priorities in Africa as the continent faces new challenges and opportunities in the post-pandemic era.

The Graced

Nigeria is the most represented country on the list, highlighting the country's dominance in the creative and business sector. Creatives dominate the ranking with 31 representatives, including singer Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weekend, filmmaker Alice Diop and writer Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah.

The second category with the highest number of entries is the Business section, with 25 representatives. This section included two giants of the FDI who support a private sector investment approach: Samaila Zubairu of Africa Finance Corporation and the President of Afreximbank , Benedict Oramah, undoubtedly an African giant in recent years who has led the transformation of Africa.

The whistleblower and former CEO of Eskom, André de Ruyter, who almost paid with his life, for coming forward to expose the truth, also appears on the list.

William Ruto, the President of Kenya, and Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria, are the only heads of state to appear on the list, accompanied by Mamady Doumbouya. Doumbouya, the Guinean military leader who caused great excitement at this year's UN General Assembly, has apparently found a solution to the Simandou mining saga.

With climate change at the top of the global agenda, the list features several key players in this field, such as James Mwangi, formerly of the Dalberg Group, who created his own venture capital fund investing in climate-related businesses, and Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

From social media, we have two leaders from Côte d'Ivoire, Fabrice Sawegnon, founder of the communications agency Voodoo, and Daniel Ahaoussa, serial entrepreneur and founder of several websites in West and Central Africa. Also included are BBC journalist Alan Kasujja and Branko Brkic, founder of Daily Maverick, arguably South Africa's most powerful media outlet.

In sport, record holders Faith Kipyegon and Kelvin Kiptum appear, as well as the Springboks team, under the leadership of their captain Siya Kolisi. CAF president Patrice Motsepe also appears, an increasingly influential voice in sport, not only in Africa, but also worldwide.

The New African Magazine

It is an English-language monthly magazine, published continuously since 1966, that has brought an African perspective to international news.

It is the essential magazine for government officials, businesspeople, professionals and observers in Africa. The New African Magazine is distributed in more than 100 countries and consulted whenever Africa is mentioned. It is the best-selling magazine in Africa and the world's main source of consultation on African issues.

The December/January 2024 issue of New African Magazine is one of the biggest of the year, packed with scintillating profiles and high-quality portraits of the best and brightest Africans of 2023. This issue will once again be a sure source of discussion lively in Africa and abroad, as readers debate the choice of the 100 most influential Africans of 2023.

The chosen ones

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