Meet 10 powerful women leading NGX-listed FMCG and manufacturing companies

Across Nigeria’s manufacturing and fast-moving consumer goods sector(FMCG), a growing number of women are rising to the highest levels of corporate leadership, shaping strategy, driving innovation, and influencing boardroom decisions at companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX).

Historically dominated by male executives, Nigeria’s industrial and manufacturing landscape is gradually witnessing a shift as more women assume senior executive roles in publicly listed companies.

From food processing and consumer goods to cement and pharmaceuticals, female C-suite leaders are helping steer some of the country’s most recognisable brands while delivering value for shareholders and strengthening corporate governance.

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Their presence reflects a broader push toward gender inclusion in corporate Nigeria. Recent governance data shows that women now occupy over 30% of board seats among the NGX-30 companies, highlighting a gradual but significant improvement in female representation at the highest levels of decision-making.

While the number of women in executive roles remains relatively small compared to their male counterparts, their impact is increasingly visible.

Female executives across Nigeria’s manufacturing/FMCG companies are playing pivotal roles in areas such as operations, finance, strategy, and supply chain management functions critical to sustaining growth in a sector that contributes significantly to the country’s industrial output.

These leaders are also helping to reshape workplace culture by promoting diversity, talent development, and inclusive leadership within their organisations.

Their career journeys often span decades of experience across multinational corporations, regional markets, and local industries, equipping them with the expertise needed to navigate complex operating environments.

In respect to the International Women’s Day celebration, we spotlight influential female C-suite executives leading manufacturing and FMCG companies listed on the NGX.

We also rank them based on the overall market capitalization of the companies as of February 27, 2026.

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**10. **Oyeyimika Adeboye, Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc ****

• 10. **Oyeyimika Adeboye, Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc **
• 9. **Kemi Adeoye, Chief Financial Officer, Honeywell Nigeria **
• 8. **Funke Ijaiya-Oladipo, Finance Director, UACN  **
• 7. Aderemi Saka, Managing Director, NASCON Allied
• 6. **Mariya Aliko Dangote- Executive Director, Operations, Dangote Sugar Refinery **
• 5. **Chinyere Ezeugwu, Executive Director, Finance International Breweries **
• 4. **Mrs. Kemisola Ajasa: Executive director Regional Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Manager, Nestle **
• 3. **Adewunmi Alode; Legal Director & Company Secretary Lafarge **
• 2. **Halima Aliko-Dangote-GED/COO Dangote Industries Limited **
• 1. **Adewunmi Desalu; Director Marketing and Corporate Communications, BUA Foods **

**Market cap: N150.4 billion **

Oyeyimika Adeboye leads one of Nigeria’s most recognisable consumer brands, but her rise to the top of the corporate ladder has been shaped by decades spent in finance and strategy across two continents.

In April 2019, she was appointed managing director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, succeeding Amir Shamsi and becoming the first woman to lead the company in its more than 50-year history. She also serves as managing director of Mondelez West Africa, the regional arm of global snack giant Mondelēz International, Cadbury Nigeria’s parent company.

Adeboye began her career in the United Kingdom at the accounting firm Midgley Snelling & Co., where she trained and qualified as a chartered accountant. She is now a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

She later returned to Nigeria, working at Arthur Andersen before joining Nigerian Bottling Company Plc in 1994 as director of finance and chief financial officer, a position she held for 13 years.

In 2008, she joined Cadbury West Africa as finance and strategy director, serving on the boards of Cadbury Nigeria Plc and Cadbury Ghana. After more than a decade in senior leadership, she rose to managing director in 2019, bringing over 30 years of financial and corporate leadership experience to the role.

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**10. **Oyeyimika Adeboye, Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc ****

• 10. **Oyeyimika Adeboye, Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria Plc **
• 9. **Kemi Adeoye, Chief Financial Officer, Honeywell Nigeria **
• 8. **Funke Ijaiya-Oladipo, Finance Director, UACN  **
• 7. Aderemi Saka, Managing Director, NASCON Allied
• 6. **Mariya Aliko Dangote- Executive Director, Operations, Dangote Sugar Refinery **
• 5. **Chinyere Ezeugwu, Executive Director, Finance International Breweries **
• 4. **Mrs. Kemisola Ajasa: Executive director Regional Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Manager, Nestle **
• 3. **Adewunmi Alode; Legal Director & Company Secretary Lafarge **
• 2. **Halima Aliko-Dangote-GED/COO Dangote Industries Limited **
• 1. **Adewunmi Desalu; Director Marketing and Corporate Communications, BUA Foods **

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