Across Nigeria’s top publicly listed companies, one might expect to find boardrooms filled with diverse voices and perspectives. In reality, only a small number of women currently hold executive positions shaping corporate governance.
The NGX-30 refers to the 30 largest and most liquid (frequently traded) companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
According to the 2025 PWR Advisory NGX-30 Board Gender Diversity Scorecard, women now hold 31.1% of board seats among the top 30 listed companies, up from 29.7% in 2024.
While their numbers remain few, their influence is unmistakable, guiding strategic decisions that affect millions of shareholders, employees, and industry stakeholders across the country.
In a sector defined by rapid change and competitive pressures, their contributions are critical to sustaining growth, managing risk, and setting benchmarks for corporate governance across Nigeria’s top-listed companies.
Though much of their work happens behind the scenes, the outcomes are clear. In 2025, the NGX All‑Share Index, which tracks the performance of the companies listed on the exchange, hit a record high of 155,613 points by year-end, finishing up more than 51% and solidifying its position among the best-performing emerging and frontier market exchanges globally.
These leaders are not just present in the boardroom, they are driving results, shaping policy, and setting benchmarks for operational excellence.
Here are the 13 female executive directors of Nigeria’s top 30 publicly listed companies
Mrs. Eleanor Adaralegbe is the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of Seplat Energy Plc. She was appointed to the Board as an Executive Director on 1 May 2024 and assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer on 21 May 2024, after serving as CFO Designate from July 2023.
- She joined Seplat in February 2015 and brings close to three decades of experience spanning the oil and gas industry and professional services.
- Before joining Seplat, she held roles at Ernst & Young, ConocoPhillips, Ocean Energy, a subsidiary of Devon Energy, and Addax Petroleum, building a broad base in financial management, controls, and corporate governance.
- Within Seplat Energy, she has held several senior leadership positions, including Vice President of Finance. In that capacity, she oversaw the Finance, Tax, and Supply Chain Management functions. She also serves as chairperson of the contracts tender board and sits on the Board of Elcrest. Over the years, she has played a key role in stakeholder management within Nigeria’s energy sector and in strengthening engagement with the global investor community.
- Mrs. Adaralegbe is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
She holds a degree in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and an MSc in Global Finance from City University of London, now Bayes Business School. She is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.
Women of greater reasons of Life 💝🙏
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