Celebrating Excellence: Dr. Victoria Akai Honoured As African Woman Of The Year 2025
Dr. Victoria Akai,IIPM, FICMC has been honoured with the prestigious "African Woman of the Year 2025" award by the Voice Achievers Award organization.
The Voice Achievers Award, a distinguished Pan-African organization headquartered in The Netherlands, recently issued an official statement announcing a significant change in venue for its upcoming ceremony: this year's celebration will be hosted in Nigeria. The 14th edition of the awards ceremony and business summit is scheduled to take place on November 28, 2025, at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. This event marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time in the organization's 14-year history that the prestigious awards ceremony will take place on Nigerian soil.
In a detailed press release, the organization, known for recognizing outstanding contributions and achievements across the African continent, shared its decision to bring the annual event to Nigeria. Previously held in other international locations, this move signifies a strategic shift to engage directly with the vibrant Nigerian community and celebrate African excellence within the continent. The statement highlighted that after 14 years of operations, the timing was right to decentralize their platform and bring the celebration closer to many of its key honourees and stakeholders in Nigeria.
Dr. Akai is being recognized by an award for her exceptional contributions, which have significantly impacted various sectors of the Nigerian and African economies. The recognition specifically highlights her leadership in trade development, agribusiness, investment facilitation, and women's empowerment.
Dr. Akai's impressive career and her prominent role in the Nigerian business ecosystem are underscored by her leadership and experience in various organizations. Her career timeline reveals a consistent progression of significant roles, highlighting her expertise and influence.
Dr. Victoria Akai currently holds several pivotal positions that underscore her leadership in Nigeria's business landscape. She serves as the Director General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), where she guides national trade and investment policies for the country's umbrella body of chambers of Commerce. Concurrently, she demonstrates her entrepreneurial spirit as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Duchess Naturals Limited and the Founder of The Duchess Marketplace, focusing on agribusiness and providing platforms for economic activity. Additionally, her role as an Executive at KVS International showcases her extensive experience within the private sector.
Beyond her corporate roles, Dr. Akai is deeply involved in policy advocacy and education. She is a dedicated Member of the High Level Advisory Council on Nigeria’s Support to Women, reflecting her strong commitment to gender empowerment. Furthermore, her membership on the Governing Board of the University of Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship Development highlights her efforts to mentor the next generation of business leaders and shape educational initiatives in the field.
Her career trajectory is marked by significant past leadership roles within the chamber of commerce network. Notably, she served as an Executive Committee Member of NACCIMA and, prior to that, was the Director General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) from 2020 to 2024. Her involvement with ACCI also included directing the BEST Center, which focused on business and skills development programs.
Dr. Akai's diverse experience also spans consultancy and international development. She provided expert guidance as a Senior Consultant to the Nigeria Senate Committee at the National Assembly and worked as a Business Consultant for Healthcare Management Review. Her foundational experience includes key roles in procurement and project management for European Union-funded initiatives, such as the EU SRIK Project and the EU PRIME Project, which established her early expertise in international development and project execution.
With a career spanning over two decades, Dr. Akai's extensive background in public and private sectors and her dedication to economic development have established her as a highly respected and prominent figure in Nigeria's business landscape.
As a devoted Pan-Africanist, Dr. Victoria Akai offered a powerful and visionary reflection on the continent's trajectory, stating that "Africa's moment has arrived." She emphasized that the continent is not defined by its challenges but by its innate strengths, possessing the profound wellsprings of creativity, unwavering resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit that hold the key to global transformation.
In her remarks, she issued a compelling call to action, urging every African woman and young person to fundamentally shift their perspective. She declared that they should no longer view themselves as passive recipients of aid, but rather as the active, dynamic architects of their nations' destinies.
Dr. Akai articulated a vision of collective progress, asserting that when Africans unite and forge collaborations that transcend national boundaries—by generously sharing knowledge, pooling resources, and creating avenues for mutual opportunity—they will generate an irresistible force for positive change. She concluded with an impassioned plea for a concerted effort, calling on all to rise with a clear sense of purpose, unshakeable integrity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, thereby empowering them to not only shape new industries but also to fundamentally alter and rewrite the global perception of Africa.
Despite her considerable academic achievements, profound intellectual depth, and numerous professional accolades spanning significant roles in both the public and private sectors, Dr. Victoria Akai remains widely celebrated for her exceptional humility and simplicity. This unique blend of high achievement and down-to-earth nature has earned her widespread respect not just in Nigeria and Africa, but across the global community as well.
The organizers of The Voice Achievers Award expressed their deep honour in celebrating Dr. Akai. The award ceremony, bringing together distinguished figures from Nigeria, across Africa, friends of the continent, the Netherlands community, and global admirers, serves as a platform to recognize her remarkable journey. This journey is particularly noted for its defining characteristics: academic steadfastness, immense courage, unwavering dedication, relentless hard work, impeccable integrity, and a profound record of selfless service to humanity.
Among previous recipients of this prestigious award is Her Excellency, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the current Minister of State, Ministery of Foreign Affairs.