..beats Cardoso, Adesina to second and third places
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been ranked Nigeria’s most influential thought leader in the 2026 GREY Capital Index.
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala scored 91.2 out of 100 to lead the ranking of 500 Nigerians across 25 sectors, according to the report published by Lagos-based reputation ratings organisation Podhium.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso came second with 83 points, while former African Development Bank president Akinwumi Adesina placed third with 81 points.
Businessman Aliko Dangote ranked fourth with 78.6 points, followed by Heirs Holdings chairman Tony Elumelu, who scored 77.4 points.
Others in the top 10 are Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation; Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations; Jim Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank; Atedo Peterside, founder of IBTC Bank and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, emir of Kano.
The index assessed individuals based on the depth, originality, reach and influence of their ideas across four areas: growth, reputation, expertise and yield.
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Podhium said more than 3,000 names were screened, 867 individuals assessed and 500 selected for the final ranking.
Only 10 individuals qualified for the highest category, known as Apex Architect, which requires a minimum score of 75.
Another 64 were classified as Industry Authorities, while 426 fell under the Ecosystem Shaper category.
Podhium managing director Obiora Tabansi Onyeaso said the ranking was designed to distinguish original ideas supported by evidence from opinions that repeat existing discussions.
“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.
The report also examined thought leadership across different industries, noting that none of the 37 individuals ranked in the banking sector qualified for the Apex Architect category.
It attributed this partly to restrictions faced by professionals in regulated industries when speaking publicly on certain issues.
International development organisations recorded the highest average score among sectors with at least 10 individuals, at 52.2 points, compared with 35.5 points for arts, culture and entertainment.
The report further revealed that women accounted for 222 of the 500 individuals ranked, representing 44.4 percent.
Two women made the top 10, with Okonjo-Iweala in first position and Mohammed in seventh.
Women recorded an average score of 36.8 points, compared with 41.3 points for men.
Podhium linked the difference partly to unequal access to platforms considered in its assessment.
Onyeaso said the limited number of individuals in the highest category reflected a lack of institutional support for research and the development of ideas.
“Ten Apex Architects in a country of 230 million people is not a talent deficit. It is an infrastructure deficit,” he said.
Podhium announced that the index would be published twice yearly from 2027, with the main edition released in January and an update in June.
The organisation said each edition would reassess individuals and track changes in their rankings.
