Okonjo-Iweala, Omotola, Burna Boy on Forbes Africa Icons List

World Trade Organisation director-general Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigerian artists Omotola Ekeinde and Burna Boy, feature in Forbes Africa’s ‘100 Innovations, Inventions and Icons of Africa’ list for 2021. So was South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who made the cover of Forbes Africa for the simple fact that he made history by overtaking Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest man.

Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and the first African to head the World Trade Organisation (WTO), artists Omotola Ekeinde and Burna Boy, feature in Forbes Africa’s ‘100 Innovations, Inventions and Icons of Africa’ list for 2021. The globali media company and US business magazine Forbes also named Chimamanda Adichie, Davido, Wizkid, Olugbenga Agboola and Mr Eazi.

Forbes mostly focuses on listing and ranking in areas such as business, investment, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and marketing. The magazine, on its official Twitter account, Forbes Africa, said the 100 innovations, inventions and icons recently recognised in various industries were a way of celebrating the creativity of the African mind.

« It also includes the award-winning ideas that have defined the African continent and the influential role models that have shaped Africa’s growth over the past decade, » Forbes explained.

Reacting to the choice of her humble self, Nigerian actress, singer and philanthropist Omotola Ekeinde took to her official Twitter account Realomosexy on Tuesday to express her gratitude to Forbes. « Thank you Forbes Africa for the inclusion of Africa’s iconic personalities in the 100th issue, » she wrote.