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Dangote’s Chiejina Makes Global Influence 100 Again
Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications, Dangote Group, has been named to the prestigious 2025 Influence 100, reaffirming his standing as one of the most consequential communications leaders in the world and the only Nigerian on this year’s list.
Biztellers reports that the recognition marks Chiejina’s fifth consecutive appearance on the global ranking, having previously been listed in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, a rare distinction that underscores both consistency and sustained global relevance. His continued presence places him among an elite group of in-house communicators whose judgement, influence and strategic insight shape corporate reputation at the highest level.
Published annually by PRovoke Media and now in its 13th year, the Influence 100 identifies the most impactful senior communications, corporate affairs and marketing executives worldwide. The 2025 list reflects a rapidly changing global environment in which communications has evolved from a support function into a core pillar of leadership, governance and trust building amid geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption and heightened public scrutiny.
According to PRovoke Media, the leaders recognised this year demonstrate strategic clarity, cultural intelligence and the ability to guide organisations through complexity. Final selections are made by the publication’s senior editorial team through proprietary research and external nominations, assessed against organisational seniority and global reach, influence over agency partnerships and budgets, and contribution to thought leadership and industry direction. The list also prioritises gender balance, racial diversity and geographic representation.
According to the publication, Chiejina’s inclusion reflects his central role in shaping the reputation of Dangote Group, Africa’s largest industrial conglomerate. For over 15 years, he has overseen corporate communications across the group’s diverse portfolio, spanning cement, agriculture, energy, manufacturing and consumer goods. His stewardship has been instrumental in positioning Dangote as the continent’s most admired indigenous company and a symbol of African industrial ambition.
“As group head of corporate communications, he oversees external and internal reputation across multiple sectors spanning cement, agriculture, energy and consumer goods, and has helped steer the brand’s continued recognition as the most admired indigenous company on the continent,” it said.
Under his leadership, the group’s communications function has navigated complex regulatory environments, major industrial expansions and heightened global attention, particularly as Dangote deepens its footprint across Africa and advances sustainability and energy security initiatives.
Before joining Dangote Group, Chiejina held senior roles at Zenith Bank, Oceanic Bank, Seven Up Bottling Company, the African Economic Digest (AED) and African Concord, experiences that have given him deep insight into Nigeria’s political economy, financial markets and media landscape. That breadth of experience continues to inform Dangote Group’s engagement with stakeholders at home and abroad.
His sustained recognition on the Influence 100 highlights not only personal professional excellence, but also the growing visibility of African corporate leadership in global reputation management. As communications becomes increasingly central to how organisations lead and earn trust, Chiejina’s presence on the list reinforces Nigeria’s place in the global conversation shaping the future of the profession.
The 2025 Influence 100 includes 28 new entrants, alongside several high profile re-entries by senior communications leaders who have since taken on expanded global roles. These include Michael Stewart, who moved from PwC to Unilever; Michael Gonda, from McDonald’s to Nike; and Sandy Rodriguez, also from McDonald’s to Eli Lilly.
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This year’s list reflects a powerful cross section of communications leadership from some of the world’s most influential organisations, including Walmart, Apple, Shell, Microsoft, Nvidia, Nissan, Coca Cola, Google, Lufthansa, MTN, Emirates, Ford, Marriott, Tencent and Reliance Industries among others.
In total, 20 countries are represented, highlighting the global reach and strategic importance of senior in house communications leadership. Gender representation remains strong, with 58 women and 42 men featured, sustaining a female majority for the second consecutive year.
The 2025 Influence 100 is also the most highly educated cohort to date, with all honourees holding at least a first degree and 56 per cent possessing advanced qualifications, up sharply from previous years.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
Nigerians are facing yet another economic blow as petrol prices surge again. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre, marking the third increase in just one week.
The latest adjustment, announced to marketers on Monday, follows a temporary suspension of petrol sales at the refinery on Sunday. Diesel, also known as Automotive Gas Oil, has also been revised upwards to N1,620 per litre.
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A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hike, noting that it reflects “prevailing market fundamentals and the cost environment we are currently operating in.”
Industry checks show that depot pricing systems have already updated the new rates, signaling an inevitable rise at retail stations.
In some cities, petrol is now being sold at over N1,200 per litre, adding pressure on Nigerian motorists and businesses alike.
This repeated surge comes after earlier increases that pushed gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre earlier this week.
Experts warn that the hikes are likely to drive up transportation, logistics, and production costs, potentially impacting the prices of goods and services nationwide.
While the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is working to secure crude supplies for the refinery via international traders, officials cautioned that this may not immediately reduce prices for consumers.
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