Top ten richest men in Africa 2019
- Aliko Dangote – $10.3b Net worth
Adenuga, Nigeria’s second richest man, built his fortune in telecom and oil production. His mobile phone network, Globacom, is the third largest operator in Nigeria, with 43 million subscribers. His oil exploration outfit, Conoil Producing, operates six oil blocks in the Niger Delta. Adenuga got an MBA at Pace University in New York, supporting himself as a student by working as a taxi driver. He made his first million at 26, selling lace and distributing soft drinks.
Oppenheimer, the heir to his family’s fortune, sold his 40 per cent stake in South Africa’s diamond firm DeBeers to mining group Anglo American for $5.1 billion in cash in 2012. He was the third generation of his family to run
Nassef Sawiris is a scion of Egypt’s wealthiest family. His brother Naguib is also a billionaire. Sawiris split Orascom Construction Industries into two entities in 2015: OCI and Orascom Construction
Johann Rupert & family
Johann Rupert is chairman of Swiss luxury goods firm Compagnie Financiere Richemont, best known for the brands Cartier and Montblanc. It was formed in 1998 through a spinoff of assets owned by Rembrandt Group Limited (now Remgro Limited), which his father Anton formed in the 1940s. He owns a 7 per cent stake in diversified investment firm Remgro, which he chairs, as well as 25 per cent of Reinet, an investment holding co. based in Luxembourg. In recent years, Rupert has been a vocal opponent of plans to allow fracking in the Karoo, a region of South Africa where he owns
Issad Rebrab
Issad Rebrab is the founder and CEO of Cevital, Algeria’s biggest privately-held company. Cevital owns one of the largest sugar refineries in the world, with the capacity to produce 2 million tons a year and a number of European companies, including French home appliances maker Groupe Brandt, an Italian steel mill and a German water purification company
Naguib Sawiris
Just like his brother Nassef, Naguib Sawiris is a scion of Egypt’s wealthiest family. He built a fortune in telecom, selling Orascom Telecom in 2011 to Russian telecom firm VimpelCom (now Veon) in a multibillion-dollar transaction. Family holding La Mancha has stakes in Evolution Mining, Endeavour Mining and Golden Star, which operate gold mines in Africa and Australia.In 2017, he shifted ownership of La Mancha to his mother, Yousriya Loza-Sawiris, for estate planning purposes.
Koos Bekker
Koos Bekker is revered for transforming South African newspaper publisher Naspers into an e-commerce investor & cable TV powerhouse. He led Naspers to invest in Chinese Internet and media firm Tencent in 200, by far the most profitable of the bets he made on companies elsewhere. Bekker, who retired as the CEO of Naspers in March 2014, returned as chairman in April 2015. During his tenure as CEO, which began in 1997, Bekker oversaw a rise in the market capitalization of Naspers from about $600 million to $45 billion. During that time, he drew no salary, bonus, or benefits and was compensated via stock option grants that vested over time.
Isabel dos Santos is the oldest daughter of Angola’s longtime former president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who stepped down in 2017. Her father made her head of Sonangol, Angola’s state oil firm, in June 2016, a role she had to give up in 2017 after Angola’s new president removed her. Forbes research found that while president, Isabel’s father transferred to her stakes in several Angolan companies, including banks and a telecom firm. She owns shares of Portuguese companies, including telecom and cable TV firm Nos SGPS. A spokesperson for Isabel told Forbes that she “is an independent businesswoman and a private investor representing solely her own interests.”
Mohamed Mansour oversees family conglomerate Mansour Group, which was founded by his father Loutfy (D.1976) in 1952 and has 60,000 employees. Mansour established General Motors dealerships in Egypt in 1975, later becoming one of GM’s biggest distributors worldwide. Mansour Group also has exclusive distribution rights for Caterpillar equipment in Egypt and seven other African countries. He served as Egypt’s Minister of Transportation from 2006 to 2009 under the Hosni Mubarak regime. His brothers Yasseen and Youssef, who share ownership in the family group, are also billionaires; his son Loutfy heads private equity arm Man Capital.
Strive Masiyiwa
Strive Masiyiwa overcame protracted government opposition to launch mobile phone network Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in his country of birth in 1998. He owns just over 50 per cent of the publicly-traded telecom, which is one part of his larger Econet Group
Patrice Motsepe, the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, became a billionaire in 2008 – the first black African on the Forbes list. In 2016, he launched a new private equity firm, African Rainbow Capital, focused on investing in Africa. Motsepe also has a stake in Sanlam, a listed financial services firm, and is the president and owner of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club. He became the first black partner at law firm Bowman Gilfillan in Johannesburg and then started a contracting business doing mine scut work. In 1994, he bought low-producing gold mine shafts and later turned them profitable.
Top Ten African billionaires of 2016
1. Aliko Dangote
Source of wealth: Cement, Flour, Sugar, Salt
Aliko Dangote comes from a family with a strong business background; his great uncle, Alhaji Alhassan Dantata was dubbed the richest African at the time of his death in 1955. Perhaps it is no surprise that Aliko had interests in business from an early age, he apparently started selling sweets while in primary school just to make money. The Nigerian businessman founded Dangote Group in 1981 and thereafter transformed it into a conglomerate comprised of Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Flour and Dangote Cement. Dangote Cement is the biggest cement producers in Africa with capacity of over 20 million metric tones per annum while Dangote Sugar Refinery boosts being the largest Sugar producers in Africa and third in the world, producing an estimated 800 thousand tons of sugar annually. Dangote has expanded his reach beyond Nigeria, to West Africa and across sub Sahara with major presence in Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo. Forbes estimates his current worth to be $16.4 billion. He has been Africa’s richest person since 2013 when he surpassed Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi.
2. Michael “Mike” Adenuga
Source of wealth: Telecom, Oil, Real Estate
Mike grew up in the Lagos, Nigeria. Born in 1953, Mike worked as a taxi driver to help fund his MBA at Pace University in New York. He started by making his fortune in trading lace and Coca-Cola. In 1991, Mike then founded Conoil (formerly Consolidated Oil Company), the company operates 6 oil blocks in the Niger Delta. The company has three major operating sectors, White products (Industrial and Aviation Fuel), Lubricants and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), it mainly engages in the manufacture and marketing various petroleum products. He also owns Globacom, the second largest telecommunications company in Nigeria; it also has operations in Ghana and the Republic of Benin. Globacom has an estimated 32 million subscribers in Nigeria. The second richest Nigerian has an estimated net worth of $10.3 billion.
3. Nicholas “Nicky” Oppenheimer
Source of wealth: Diamonds
Nicky Oppenheimer is the richest person from South Africa. His grandfather Ernest Oppenheimer who founded the Anglo American, a multinational mining company and the current world’s largest producer of platinum. Nicky joined Anglo American as the Personal Assistant to the Chairman in 1968 and quickly moved up the ranks to deputy Chairman in 1983. While he amassed some of his wealth from Anglo American, the major source of his wealth is his inheritance of De Beers, one of the leaders in the diamond industry and Tswalu Kalahari Reserve the largest private game reserve in South Africa. Nicholas succeeded his forefathers as the Chairman of De Beers in 1998 in what is sometimes referred to as the Oppenheimer dynasty thus inheriting the family business. He stepped down in 2012 and liquidated 40% of his DeBeers shares to familiar face of Anglo American for $5.1 billion in cash. The 57 year old has an estimated net worth of $6.6 billion.
4. Christoffel Wiese
Source of wealth: Retailing
Christoffel Wiese grew up in Upington, Northern Cape in South Africa. A lawyer by profession, Christoffer left the Cape bar to join a family business as a Director of Pepkor, which originated as the discount clothing retail chain Pep Stores. His Pepkor group currently operates more than 4000 retails with major operations in South Africa, Australia and Poland. Wiese took brief break from Pepkor to venture into diamond mining and politics. In 1980, he returned to Pepkor as Chairman, Pepkor has recently acquired Shoprite Holdings, which he turned into the largest food retailer in Africa. Shoprite operates 1825 corporates and 363 franchise outlets in 15 countries across Africa employing over 136 000 people. In February 2015, Steinhoff purchased Pepkor for $5.7 billion in cash and stock a deal that resulted with Christoffel owning 17% of Steinhoff. This South African has an estimated net worth of $7.3 billion.
5. Johann Rupert
Source of wealth: Luxury Goods
Johann Rupert grew up in Stellenbosch South Africa. Born in 1950, Johann is the eldest son of Anton Rupert who founded Voorbrand, a tobacco company that was later renamed Rembrandt. The Rembrandt group founded Richemont a holdings Swiss company for leading luxury goods companies and Remgro an investment company with particular interests in food, liquor and home care, financial, and industrial companies. Johann Rupert currently chairs both companies. Rupert has a strong interest in sports, a former cricketer himself, he developed Leopard Creek Golf Club in Mpumalanga South Africa which is constantly ranked in the top three of best golf courses in South Africa and he owns part of Saracens a first division English rugby team. The South African has an estimated net worth of $5.4 billion with luxury goods as his main source of wealth.
6. Nassef Sawiris
Source of wealth: Construction, Chemicals
Nassef Sawiris is the richest person from Egypt. He is the son of Onsi Sawiris a businessman who founded Orascom a conglomerate with primary focus on infrastructure, industrial and high-end commercial projects. Nassef joined his father’s venture in 1982, in 2015 Orascom split into Orascom construction that Nassef serves as its non-executive Chairman and Orascom Construction Industries where he serves as a Chief Executive Officer. Sawiris emerged as the largest individual shareholder of Adidas in October; he holds 6% of Adidas shares, which is approximated to worth about $1 billion. Sawiris recently founded Nile Holdings Investment, a private equity fund that invests in different industries with a major focus in Egypt’s health care sector. The 55 years old graduate of University of Chicago has an estimated net worth of $4.4 billion.
7. Nathan Kirsh
Source of wealth: Retail, Real Estate, Self Made
Nathan Kirsh was born in Potchefstroom, South Africa. He later became a permanent citizen of Swaziland in 1986. Kirsh made his first mark into the business arena when he founded Swaziland Mills, a Swaziland corn-milling company. He later expanded the reach of this milling company to become a dominant food retailer in South Africa. The company overextended its reach by committing to building two-dozen malls; unfortunately South Africa was at the edge to extending increasing its international sanctions, a result of which cost Kirsh most of his fortune. Currently Kirsh’s fortune comes from Jetro Holdings, Inc, which operates Jetro Cash and Carry, one of the leading wholesale cash and carry stores in USA and Restaurant Depots in New York City. The Kirsh Holdings Group owns 50% of Swazi Plaza Properties, which is makes up his biggest investment in Swaziland. Kirsh has an estimated $4 billion net worth.
8. Isabel dos Santos
Source of wealth: Investments
Isabel dos Santos is the richest woman in Africa. She is the eldest daughter of long time Angola President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Isabel started her venture into the business world as a project manager for Urbana 2000 a subsidiary of Jembas that was contracted for cleaning and disinfecting of Luanda. She later set up a truck business company, this coupled with establishment of the walkie-talkie system paved way for her to move into the telecommunications industry. In 1997, Isabel started Miami Beach Club, her first business and one of the first night clubs beach restaurants in Luanda Island. The Electrical Engineering graduate of King's College owns a number of assets in Angola, including 25% of Unitel, the largest mobile phone company in Angola. Among her diverse investment portfolio is 19% of Banco BPI, Angola’s largest bank and 7% of Galp Energia, an oil and gas company. The 42-year-old Angolan has an estimated net worth of $3.2 billion.
9. Issad Rebrab
Source of wealth: Food
Issad Rebrab is the richest man in Algeria. His industrial career apparently started in 1971, when one his clients suggested he take shares in metallurgical construction company. Issad, a teacher by profession said he took a calculated risk, and in the worst case he knew he could always return to teaching. He joined the industry by acquiring 20% shares of Sotecom, a metallurgical construction business. Issad stands out as one of the few African billionaires who come from modest families, his parents were revolutionaries who struggled for the independence of Algeria. His major installations where destroyed in 1995 by terrorist attack, costing him an estimated $1.1 billion. He came back stronger in 1998 with the foundation of Cevital, one of the largest Algerian private enterprise, with subsidies in agribusiness, distribution, glass industry and real estate. Issad has an estimated net worth of $3.3 billion.
10. Naguib Sawiris
Source of wealth: Telecom
Naguib Sawiris is the eldest of three Onsi Sawiris’ sons. Naguib joined the family business Orascom in 1979. He played an integral role in the growth and diverse portfolio of the company turning it into one of the largest private sector firms. Sawiris, a Masters graduate of ETH Zurich particularly helped establish the railway, information technology and telecommunications, the success of these sectors led to the split of Orascom into Orascom Telecom Holding, Orascom Construction Industries, Orascom Hotels & Development and Orascom Technology Systems. He owns the liberal Egypt TV station ONTV. Perhaps he is most recently known for his desire to buy an Island between to give 100 000 to 200 000 refugees a home, this was after he saw a picture of a three year old Syrian boy who drowned trying to find refuge. The Egyptian has an estimated net worth of $3 billion.
Source: https://www.africanexponent.com
Africa’s Top 10 Richest People Of 2015
African wealthy people are highly influential. They stand as role models for many people in the continent. Check out the list of the richest people in Africa
1. Aliko Dangote – Net worth: $15.7 Billion (Nigerian)
Aliko Dangote is the world’s richest black man. He built his fortune through three commodities: sugar, cement, flour. Also he plans to invest in oil.2. Johann Rupert – Net worth: $7.4 Billion (South African)
Johann Rupert is a luxury goods billionaire.3. Nicky Oppenheimer – Net Worth: $6.7 Billion (South African)
Nicky Oppenheimer sold his 40 percent stake of family business for $5.1 billion.4. Christoffel Wiese – Net Worth: $6.3 Billion (South African)
South African self-made billionaire, the retailing tycoon, continues to chase deals adding his fortune.5. Nassef Sawiris – Net Worth: $6.3 Billion (Egyptian)
The 53-year-old billionaire won a tax evasion case (that had pitted him against the government of former Egyptian president Morsi).Mike Adenuga made his fortune through investments in mobile telecom and oil production.
7. Mohamed Mansour – Net Worth: $4 billion (Egyptian)
Mohamed oversees the Mansour Group (family business, founded in the 1950s)8. Nathan Kirsh – Net Worth: $3.9 billion (Swazi)
Nathan Kirsh is the founder of Jetro Holdings, a cash and carry wholesaler of perishable and non-perishable food products, household goods, equipment, supplies and related goods for grocery retailers. In 1958 Kirsch made his first fortune in Swaziland founding a corn milling business.9. Isabel dos Santos – Net Worth: $3.3 Billion (Angolan)
Isabel dos Santos is Africa’s richest woman. She is working to expand her stable of investments. She is the daughter of Angola’s longtime president Jose Eduardo dos Santos.10. Issad Rebrab & family – Net Worth: $3.1 Billion (Algerian)
Issad Rebrab is the founder of Cevital. This is Algeria’s largest privately held conglomerate, which owns one of the largest sugar refineries in the world. The group also has interests in port terminals, auto distribution, mining and agriculture.Source: https://africa-facts.org/
The top 10 richest African billionaires of 2011
Aliko Dangote is Africa's richest man according to Forbes.
1. Aliko Dangote
Country of citizenship: Nigeria
Net worth: $13.8 billion
Source of wealth: Sugar, flour, cement , inherited and growing
Marital status: Married
Children: 3
Overall position: 51
2. Nicky Oppenheimer & family
Country of citizenship: South Africa
Net worth: $7 billion
Source of wealth: De Beers, inherited
Marital Status: Married
Children: 1
Overall position: 136
Country of citizenship: Egypt
Net worth: $5.6 billion
Source of wealth: Construction, inherited and growing
Overall position: 182
4. Johann Rupert & family
Country of citizenship: South Africa
Net worth: $4.8 billion
Source of wealth: Luxury goods, inherited and growing
Marital Status: Married
Children: 3
Overall position: 219
5. Naguib Sawiris
Country of citizenship: Egypt
Net worth: $3.5 billion
Source of wealth: Telecom, inherited and growing
Marital Status: Married
Children: 4
Overall position: 310
6. Patrice Motsepe
Country of citizenship: South Africa
Net worth: $3.3 billion
Source of wealth: Mining, self-made
Marital Status: Married
Children: 3
Overall position: 336
7. Onsi Sawiris
Country of citizenship: Egypt
Net worth: $2.9 billion
Source of wealth: Construction, self-made
Marital status: Married
Children: 3
Overall position: 393
8. Mohamed Mansour
Country of citizenship: Egypt
Net worth: $2 billion
Source of wealth: Cotton trading, inherited and growing
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Overall position: 595
Country of citizenship: Nigeria
Net worth: $2 billion
Source of wealth: Banking, self-made
Marital Status: Married
Overall position: 595
10.Yasseen Mansour
Country of citizenship: Egypt
Net worth: $1.8 billion
Source of wealth: Diversified, inherited and growing
Marital status: Married
Children: 4
Overall position: 692
Source: https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/
