Across Africa’s evolving creative landscape, a new generation of women is expanding the meaning of influence. Beyond the spotlight, they are building careers, shaping conversations, creating opportunities and using their platforms to tell stories that resonate across borders. This week, Women of the Week celebrates five women whose contributions reflect the diversity and growing reach of African talent.
Hawananna Magaji (The Northern Belle) – TV & Event Host, Radio Presenter and Digital Creator
Hawananna Magaji, popularly known as The Northern Belle, is a Nigerian media personality whose work across broadcasting, event hosting and digital entertainment is contributing to a broader representation of Northern Nigerian voices in mainstream entertainment. With a background in International Law and Diplomacy from Babcock University, she initially explored professional opportunities outside entertainment before pursuing her passion for media and communication.
Magaji has hosted major entertainment events, including Davido’s Timeless concert and the premiere of The Real Housewives of Abuja. She also gained wider television recognition as the host of Africa Magic’s interactive dating reality show What Will People Say? Her digital platforms include Who’s in My House and Drive Time with Hawa Magaji, where she engages personalities across entertainment and popular culture. Through her work, she is challenging limiting perceptions of Northern women in entertainment while creating greater visibility for diverse voices and experiences.
Sophie Alakija – Actress, Model and Brand Influencer
Sophie Alakija has established a presence in Nigeria’s entertainment and fashion industries through acting, modelling and brand collaborations. She first attracted significant public attention through her appearance in Wizkid’s 2010 music video Holla at Your Boy, before gradually building a career in Nollywood. Her screen credits include productions such as Scandals, Halita, Assistant Madams, My Village People and Small Chops.
Her career reflects the intersection of entertainment, fashion and contemporary celebrity culture, with her modelling profile and brand partnerships extending her influence beyond film. She has continued to take on roles across different genres, including recent film projects such as In Love With Your Man and For Eve’s Sake. Through her work, Alakija represents a generation of Nigerian entertainers whose careers move fluidly between the screen, fashion and the wider commercial creative industry.
Shudufhadzo Musida – Model, Author & Mental Health Advocate
Shudufhadzo Musida rose to international prominence after being crowned Miss South Africa 2020, using the platform to champion conversations around mental health, education and the empowerment of women and children. Originally from Ha-Masia in Limpopo, South Africa, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Pretoria, as well as an honours degree in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Beyond modelling and pageantry, Musida has built a meaningful advocacy profile. She launched #MindfulMondays, a mental health awareness initiative developed in collaboration with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group and Discovery Vitality. She also authored Shudu Finds Her Magic, a children’s book inspired by her own experience with bullying, published in six South African languages. Her subsequent book, I Am Shudu: Finding My Voice, Knowing My Strength, further explores identity, confidence and self-discovery. Recognised with the Glamour Women of the Year Mental Health Game Changer Award in 2022, Musida continues to use her public platform to advance conversations around emotional wellbeing, education and the dignity of young people.
Stephanie Coker Aderinokun – Media Personality, Actress, Documentary Producer and Entrepreneur
Stephanie Coker Aderinokun is one of Nigeria’s recognisable media personalities, with a career spanning television, radio, acting, production and entrepreneurship. A graduate of Media and Communications from Brunel University London, she began her professional journey in broadcasting, working with Cool FM before becoming a television presenter at MTV Base Africa. She subsequently became associated with EbonyLife TV, Tinsel and The Voice Nigeria, establishing herself as a versatile presence across Nigerian television and entertainment.
Her work extends beyond presenting. Through SCA Studios, she has pursued production and storytelling, while her entrepreneurial interests have included Krochet Kulture, a hair business. She has also used documentary filmmaking and public conversations to address issues affecting women, including her documentary Where The Heck Is My Period?, which explores polycystic ovary syndrome and women’s reproductive health. A recipient of the ELOY TV Presenter of the Year award in 2014, Coker Aderinokun continues to demonstrate how media professionals can evolve into producers, entrepreneurs and advocates with influence beyond the screen.
Anele Zondo – Fashion Icon, Hip-Hop Artist, Actress and Television Presenter
Anele Zondo, professionally known as Ney the Bae, is a South African entertainer whose career brings together television, acting, music and fashion. She gained recognition as a presenter on Mzansi Magic’s Massive Music and as an actress playing Faith Sibiya in the television drama The River. Her television career established her as a dynamic personality, while her interest in music has enabled her to develop a distinct identity within South Africa’s hip-hop scene.
As a recording artist, Zondo has released music under her own name and as Ney the Bae, collaborating with established figures in the South African music industry. Her 2025 single Whole City earned her the Hip-Hop Artist of the Year award at the 2026 Basadi in Music Awards, where she also co-hosted the ceremony. Beyond entertainment, she has cultivated a strong fashion identity and worked with brands including GUESS, Kia and DStv. Her journey reflects the expanding possibilities for African women working across music, fashion and screen entertainment, building influence through multiple creative disciplines.
Why SHE Matters
These five women demonstrate that influence is most powerful when it creates room for expression, representation and progress. Through broadcasting, film, fashion, music, literature and advocacy, they are expanding the visibility of African women while building careers and platforms that inspire others to pursue their ambitions.
