Creatives dominate New African magazine’s 100 most influential people list

The list features a diverse and inspiring group of men and women, who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, leadership, resilience and vision in their respective domains. They include politicians, entrepreneurs, industrialists, environmentalists, creatives, scientists, educators, sports personalities, and more.

The list also reflects the shifting trends and priorities in Africa, as the continent faces new challenges and opportunities in the post-pandemic era. Creatives dominate the list with 30 representatives, including Nigerian Afrobeats artist Burna Boy, Canadian-Ethiopian singer The Weeknd, French-Senegalese filmmaker Alice Diop, South African Grammy nominee Tyla and Ghanaian writer Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah.

The business category has the second highest number of entries with 25. It includes well known names from development finance institutions, including Africa Finance Corporation CEO Samaila Zubairu and Afreximbank president Benedict Oramah. Also on the list is André de Ruyter, the former CEO of Eskom and whistleblower who was allegedly poisoned while trying to end corruption at the South African power utility.

Nigeria is the most represented country on the list, highlighting its dominance in the creative and business sectors. Kenyan President William Ruto and his Nigerian counterpart, Bola Tinubu, are the only heads of state to make the list, along with the Guinean military leader Mamady Doumbouya.

With climate change topping the agenda, the list features several players in the environmental space, such as James Mwangi (Kenya), formerly of Dalberg Group, who has set up his own venture fund investing in climate-related businesses, and Elizabeth Maruma Mrema (Tanzania), the executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The media section featured Ivory Coast’s Fabrice Sawegnon, founder of communications agency Voodoo Group, and Daniel Ahouassa, serial entrepreneur and founder of a number of websites in West and Central Africa. Also included are BBC journalist Alan Kasujja and Branko Brkic, founder and editor-in-chief of South African investigative publication Daily Maverick.

New African magazine’s 100 Most Influential Africans (creatives section):

• Kaouther Ben Hania
• Danai Gurira
• Ncuti Gatwa
• Black Coffee
• Tyla Laura Seethal
• Temilade ‘Tems’ Openiyi
• Lesley Lokko
• Mulenga Kapwepwe
• Alice Diop
• Wanuri Kahiu
• Bassem Youssef
• Malenga Mulendema
• Jadesola Osiberu
• Editi Effiong
• Ali Said Alamin Mandhry
• Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye
• Pretty Yende
• Julie Mehretu
• Pierre Thiam
• Teju Cole
• Thebe Magugu
• David Diop
• Burna Boy
• Serge Attukwei Clottey
• Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
• Aïda Muluneh
• Omoyemi Akerele
• Mariam Issoufou Kamara
• Victor Ekpuk
• DJ Snake
• Gandhi ‘Maitre Gims’ Djuna

You can download New African’s 100 Most Influential Africans of 2023 special edition here.