By Sunday Oyinloye
A Nigerian Business and Investment Strategist, Dr. Victoria Akai has emerged African Woman of the Year 2025,
The Trade and Development Leader was chosen from more than one hundred nominees from different African countries for the prestigious The Voice Magazine Netherlands, Achievers Awards, 2025 which holds on 28th November 2025 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Awards and Gala Night will be preceded in the morning by Business Dialogue to be attended by Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Bengt van Loosdrecht, the Consular General Mr. Michel Deelen, diplomats from the Netherlands and Nigeria as well as captains of industry and entrepreneurs.
From the documents obtained by Green Savannah Diplomatic Cable, Dr. Akai was chosen as African Woman of the Year 2025 based on her transformative impact in various sectors particularly through her strategic solutions for business challenges in Africa.
The First Lady of Rwanda, Jeannette Kagame has won the award in the past.
Part of her award letter reads: “you have become a beacon of empowerment and a catalyst for change in the realm of women leadership in all sectors of society empowering them to be the best as they could.
“Your remarkable contributions to community development in areas of education, leadership and entrepreneurship make you an exemplary figure”
Dr. Akai is a distinguished Business and Investment Strategist with over two decades of leadership experience spanning trade development, agribusiness, and investment facilitation. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Duchess Naturals Limited and the Founder of The Duchess Marketplace, a pan-African empowerment platform dedicated to equipping entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth, with practical tools for export readiness, business growth, and access to global markets.
Through her leadership within the Chambers of Commerce system and her contributions to initiatives such as the ECOWAS–Ecobank Empowerment Programme for Women Traders, Dr. Akai has mentored numerous SMEs in trade facilitation, export compliance, and value chain development. Her strategic influence extends into regional logistics and maritime infrastructure, where she has facilitated her company’s collaboration with the West African Sealink Project, advancing intra-African trade and connectivity.
A Fellow of the Integrated Institute of Professional Management (IIPM) and the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), Dr. Akai continues to champion Africa’s rise through entrepreneurship, innovation, and collaborative development.
Recognized globally for her leadership, she was inducted into the 2024 USAfrica Hall of Fame by the USA Africa Trade and Business Network for her outstanding contributions to strengthening trade and investment ties between Africa and the United States.
As CEO of Duchess Naturals Limited, with operations in Abuja, Nigeria, and Detroit, USA, she leads the company’s strategic growth, market expansion, and operational excellence. Over the course of her career, she has led more than 30 trade missions across Africa and internationally, and has successfully executed seven donor-funded projects supported by leading development partners including the World Bank, European Union, United Nations, NPHCDA, GIZ, and TFO Canada.
Previously, she served as Director General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), where she championed policy advocacy, institutional reforms, and business development initiatives that strengthened Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem. She also established and managed the Business Entrepreneurship Skills & Technology (BEST) Centre, a flagship hub for enterprise development and capacity building.
Dr. Akai holds advanced certifications in Financial Management, Public Debt Management, and Trade Policy from globally recognized institutions such as UNITAR, MITx, and MDF Netherlands. She served as an Executive Committee Member of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) from 2023 to 2025, and continues to serve on several notable boards, including the GABA Marketplace in Michigan.
As a Member of the Presidential High-Level Advisory Committee on Women & Girls, she has contributed to national policy initiatives promoting gender inclusion and economic empowerment. Through her visionary leadership, Dr. Victoria Akai remains a driving force for innovation, trade facilitation, and sustainable economic transformation across Africa and the diaspora
The Voice Achievers Award is an annual Pan-African ceremony that celebrates innovation, leadership, and dedication across various fields in Africa and beyond. In its 14-year existence, the award has typically been held in Amsterdam but has also ventured to other locations, including, Dubai: once, Nairobi: twice and Banjul: once.For the first time in its 14-year history, it is scheduled for Lagos, Nigeria
