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. Ayotola Jagun is an Executive Director of Oando Plc, a role she assumed effective 20 May 2025 following her appointment by the company’s board.
Her appointment caps more than 30 years of professional practice, during which she has built deep expertise in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, enterprise risk management, and sustainability.
- For the past 14 years, Mrs. Jagun served as Oando’s Chief Compliance Officer and Company Secretary, where she was instrumental in aligning corporate practices with global governance standards, fostering transparency, and strengthening stakeholder confidence.
- Mrs. Jagun’s earlier career includes legal and compliance roles in international finance and corporate services, including positions with Capital G Limited and Harbour Group in Bermuda, Citigroup Fund Services, and Sara Lee, where she handled regulatory compliance, governance, cross‑border transactions and risk control functions.
- She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree with Upper Second Class honours from Birmingham City University, a BL from the Nigeria Law School, and an MSc in Corporate Governance and Business Ethics from Birkbeck, University of London.
She also studied law conversion course at BPP Law School and undertook postgraduate legal studies at the University of Cambridge.
Women of greater reasons of Life 💝🙏
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