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. Maria A. Karaseva is the Finance Director and Executive Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc.
Before joining Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mrs. Karaseva served as Finance Director at Al Ahram Beverages Company (ABC) in Egypt, a subsidiary of the HEINEKEN Group, from April 2023 to August 2025.
- Her career includes over 14 years at PepsiCo, where she held senior finance roles across Central Europe, Central Asia, Ukraine, and Russia. Positions included Finance Senior Director for Risk & Control, CFO Central Europe/Greater Balkans, and CFO for Ukraine/Central Asia/Caucasus. In these roles, she co-designed growth and investment strategies, implemented digitized finance processes through SAP, led Shared Service Center creation, and delivered double-digit revenue and profit growth.
- Mrs. Karaseva began her career in finance at The Estée Lauder Companies, holding roles as Finance Analyst and Business Manager between 2003 and 2007, gaining early exposure to multinational financial management and strategic operations.
- She holds a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Chinese Economy from Lomonosov Moscow State University, and her career reflects a strong combination of financial acumen, international experience, and operational leadership.
Women of greater reasons of Life 💝🙏
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