Business mogul, Aliko Dangote and Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are the two Nigerians who made Times 100 Most Influential People in the world 2014 list. Topping the list is multiple award-winning American singer/songwriter, Beyonce. Other big names include Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Serena Williams, Hilary Clinton, Pope Francis, Cristiano Ronaldo to mention a few.

A piece on Aliko Dangote written by the richest man in the world, Bill Gates states, “Aliko is Africa’s richest man, and his business activities drive economic growth across the continent. That’s impressive, but I know him best as a leader constantly in search of ways to bridge the gap between private business and public health.”

Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s profile was written by Bono, lead singer of U2 rock band. “I first met economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala when she was campaigning for Nigerian debt relief. We’d been fighting our way through capitals around the world trying to get Cold War–era debts canceled for the poorest, most heavily indebted countries. During her first term as Finance Minister of Nigeria, Ngozi arrived at her desk to find a weighty $30 billion owed. With oil prices on the rise, she stopped having to plead with her creditors and bought a massive chunk of her own debt so she could cancel it herself. As if to make a point. She became a legend in that moment”.