Okonjo-Iweala leads Nigeria’s top 500 thought leaders in 2026 GREY Capital Index

Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been named Nigeria’s most influential thought leader in the 2026 GREY Capital Index.

Okonjo-Iweala scored 91.2 out of 100 to top the list of 500 Nigerians drawn from 25 sectors, according to the report by Lagos-based reputation ratings firm Podhium.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, placed second with 83 points, while former African Development Bank (AfDB) president, Akinwumi Adesina, came third with 81 points.

Businessman Aliko Dangote was fourth with 78.6 points, followed by Heirs Holdings chairman, Tony Elumelu, who recorded 77.4 points.

How the ranking works

The index scored individuals on the depth, originality, reach and influence of their ideas across four areas: growth, reputation, expertise and yield.

Podhium said it screened over 3,000 names, assessed 867 people and selected 500 for the final list.

Only 10 individuals made the top category, Apex Architect, which requires a minimum score of 75. Another 64 were classed as Industry Authorities, while 426 fell under Ecosystem Shapers.

Podhium’s managing director, Obiora Tabansi Onyeaso, said the index was designed to separate original, evidence-backed ideas from opinions that merely repeat existing conversations.

“Nigeria has never been short of thinkers in executive suits and the upper echelons of government. What has been missing is an instrument that can tell original, evidenced thought apart from the commentary that merely circulates and echoes what is discussed on stage,” he said.

Sector findings

None of the 37 people ranked in the banking sector made the Apex Architect category. The report partly blamed restrictions on professionals in regulated industries, who are limited in what they can say publicly.

Among sectors with at least 10 individuals, international development organisations had the highest average score at 52.2 points, while arts, culture and entertainment had 35.5 points.

Gender gap

Women made up 222 of the 500 people ranked, or 44.4 per cent. Two women made the top 10: Okonjo-Iweala in first place and Mohammed in seventh.

Women averaged 36.8 points, compared with 41.3 for men. Podhium attributed the gap partly to unequal access to the platforms considered in the assessment.

Onyeaso said the small number of Apex Architects points to weak institutional support for research and idea development.

“Ten Apex Architects in a country of 230 million people is not a talent deficit. It is an infrastructure deficit,” he said.

What next

Podhium said the index will be published twice a year from 2027, with the main edition in January and an update in June. Each edition will reassess individuals and track changes in their rankings.

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