In a moment that beautifully intertwines professional triumph with maternal love, Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, the powerhouse President of Woodhall Capital International, has been featured in Forbes Nigeria 2025. This prestigious recognition celebrates her quarter-century of groundbreaking work in international investment banking and her tireless efforts to bridge the financial gap between global capital markets and African potential.
Yet, amidst the accolades and the flashing cameras, Hunponu-Wusu’s first words were not about deals or dollars, but about legacy.
“To my daughters Isabelle and Annabelle, I did this for you,” she began — a line that reads like the opening stanza of a generational hymn. Her words, tender yet iron-willed, framed her achievement as both a gift and a roadmap for the two girls watching their mother carve a place in the global marketplace where African excellence speaks for itself.
Hunponu-Wusu stands today as one of the continent’s foremost authorities in cross-border financial advisory services, a woman whose influence reaches from London’s financial district to Dubai’s high-velocity markets, from Abuja’s policy rooms to emerging economies across Africa. With over 25 years in international investment banking, she has raised more than $5 billion for governments and corporations, built strategic bridges between global capital and African potential, and led Woodhall Capital into a tri-continental force for economic transformation.
But on the day Forbes called her name, she spoke not as a titan of finance, but as a custodian of possibility.
She reflected on the mission she built through Woodhall Capital: strengthening African enterprises with innovative financial structures, mobilizing capital with precision, and elevating indigenous businesses to the global stage. She praised the African entrepreneurs who “deliver excellence every day,” crediting their courage and creativity as the true engine behind her work.
She extended her gratitude to her team, her partners, and the continent that shaped her, yet she reserved her highest commitment for the next generation. Through the Woodhall Capital Foundation, she pledged continued investment in young African leaders: nurturing talent, expanding opportunities, and uplifting communities long overlooked by traditional financial structures.
Hunponu-Wusu’s story is, in many ways, the story of a new Nigerian womanhood — one defined not by survival but by global influence; not by aspiration but by mastery; not by seeking a seat at the table but by building the boardroom.
Her rise from the City of London to the commanding heights of African finance is not merely a career arc — it is an indictment of those who doubt the transformative power of African intellect, and a celebration of those who continue to invest boldly in the continent’s economic evolution.
In her remarks, she called the Forbes recognition “a meaningful milestone.” For many Nigerians — especially young women who see themselves in her — the milestone is monumental. It is proof that brilliance can begin anywhere, and that Africa’s daughters can occupy any room, negotiate any deal, and shape any future they dare to claim.
And so, when she says, “I did this for you,” she speaks not only to Isabelle and Annabelle, but to a continent full of girls watching her rise and whispering to themselves:
If she can, so can I.
Mojisola dedicates Forbes honour to daughters, celebrating legacy of African financial excellence
