IWD: Babayemi-Saulawa makes list of 100 top women in Nigeria

The Chairperson of Syils Group Nigeria Limited, an indigenous Nigerian conglomerate, with diverse interests in mining, engineering, oil and gas, education, management, leadership & governance consulting, and construction, Dr. Oyenike Babayemi-Saulawa, is among this year’s proud listees of “Nigeria Women Annual 100 Leading Women”, a biographical compendium on accomplished women leaders usually unveiled March 8, to mark the International Women’s Day, IWD.

This year’s sterling list of Nigeria’s foremost women leaders is a mixed grill of tech experts, pastors, politicians, teachers, activists, development practitioners, and C-Suite corporate leaders and it includes notable women such as the President’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima;  the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Bolaji Agbede; Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, among others.

“Nigeria Women Annual: 100 Leading Women in Nigeria”, is Nigeria’s most qualitative compendium that profiles outstanding women across different frontiers and they include innovators, barrier-breakers, activists, top bureaucrats, captains of industry, and celebrities.

The theme of IWD 2024, ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’, will spotlight critical topics essential for fostering inclusive and equitable societies through the economic empowerment of women and girls.

“The Nigeria Women Annual: 100 Leading Women” is the premier qualitative profiling of phenomenal women in Nigeria who have contributed to the development of Nigeria and the world. It is a gender-specific biographical compendium that responds to existing gender gaps in Nigeria’s biographical documentation and leadership.

The current edition is said to be the most qualitative biographical profile on Nigeria’s most inspirational and influential women whose work will contribute to shape Nigeria’s collective history in 2024

Now in its seventh year, this compendium is published yearly to commemorate the International Women’s Day, March 8. In a joint statement by the Executive Director of Gender Perspective, Tammie Edet Kammonke; and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Profiles & Biographies, Kammonke Abam, joint publishers of the book, they said, “in publishing this compendium every year, we envision that we will continue to contribute to gender equality and women empowerment advocacy efforts towards filling the yawning gender gap in the leadership of Nigeria”.

According to them, documenting the accomplishments of outstanding Nigerian women and making women visible is a key objective of the “Nigeria Women Annual: 100 Leading Women”.

“As in the previous editions, the array of women who made the list this year all have stories that are inspirational; which we hope, will inspire readers, especially young girls and boys, who constitute our primary target”, the statement adds

Dr Oyenike Babayemi- Saulawa has over forty years’ experience in various areas of the economy, having risen to the top of her career, which is largely male-dominated, by dint of hard work and firm belief in God.

She has defied both gender and cultural barriers that limit women’s ascendancy in business, thereby inspiring a legion of many young women to also aspire to greatness

A passionate transformational leader, coach, and philanthropist, Babayemi-Saulawa gives back to the society generously through financial and in-kind support such as coaching and mentoring others to develop skills and competencies that can increase their practice and productivity as professionals. In the process, she has raised a generation of young, dynamic and purpose-driven professionals and entrepreneurs

A passionate Nigerian patriot, Dr Babayemi-Saulawa believes in the untapped, and great potential of Nigeria and Africa. She has  therefore been working with international investors to bring in much needed funds,and technical interventions into Nigeria and Africa as a whole in various areas of the economy.