PR and rating firm Avance Media has released its 2024 100 Most Influential African Women and it includes some of South Africa’s biggest noisemakers.
This is the sixth edition of the list celebrates leading African women who influence diverse sectors across the world.
Grammy-award winning South African musician Tyla Laura Seethal, known simply as Tyla, also features on the list. The multi-genre singer Tyla, released her self-titled debut album in 2024 which continued to solidify her name as an international artist.
Avance Media's 2024 100 Most Influential African Women
— Avance Media Africa (@avancemedia) January 21, 2025
Tyla || Musician
cc: @Tyllaaaaaaahttps://t.co/d1OWfMlJh3#100MAW2024 #AfricanWomen #AvanceMedia pic.twitter.com/PynKeTnPVd
She has received numerous awards locally and abroad such as the Best International Act award from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Best New Artist and Best International Act accolades at the BET Awards 2024 in Los Angeles, the Global Force award at the Billboard No1s event and bagged the Best Afrobeats honours at the MTV Video Music Awards.
She wrapped up 2024 with her first-ever South African concerts, giving electrifying performances during her sold-out Cape Town and Pretoria concerts, prompting her to have another one in Gauteng in January.
Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina has earned a spot on the list. The beauty queen made headlines last year when she made the Top 16 for Miss South Africa.
Her participation in the Miss SA 2024 beauty pageant was controversial, involving the Department of Home Affairs, as many questioned her Nigerian and Mozambican roots and the eligibility of her South African citizenship.
Home Affairs conducted an investigation and found prima facie evidence that her mother, Anabella Rungo committed identity theft and fraud in the year that Adetshina was born, 2001.
With pressure mounting and what Home Affairs revealed, on August 8 Adetshina withdrew from the Miss SA competition, just two days away from the finale.
She went on to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria pageant after an invitation from the organisation and won. The mother-of-one went on to represent Nigeria at the glitzy and glamorous Miss Universe 2024 pageant which took place in Mexico City.
Adetshina emerged victorious and placed first runner-up at Miss Universe and holds the title, Miss Universe Africa and Oceania 2024.
IOL Entertainment