Which business persons made it to the Forbes list of richest Africans 2023?

When Forbes released its 37^th ranking of the richest people on earth, fashion entrepreneur Bernard Arnault and family came out on top with an astonishing net worth of over $200 billion. For most of the years, techpreneurs have dominated the list and the top spot with now familiar names such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, as well as investor Warren Buffet.

Below are the richest Africans with verifiable wealth holdings, arranged according to their country.

Richest Africans and their country

NIGERIA

Aliko Dangote

65-year-old Aliko Dangote has retained his position as the richest person in Africa in 2023. He is in position 124 on the Forbes list of richest people in the world. His wealth increased from $14 billion in 2022 to $14.2 billion in 2023.

His best known investment is Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest cement producer. He also has diverse investments in sugar and manufacturing.

Abdulsamad Rabiu

62-year-old Abdulsamad Rabiu is also amongst the richest Africans on the continent with a net worth of $8.2 billion, an increase from $6.9 billion in 2022. He is ranked position 254 overall on the Forbes billionaires list.

Like Dangote, Rabiu has diversified investments including in the cement, sugar and manufacturing sectors. He first appeared on the billionaires list in 2019 with a net worth of $1.6 billion.

Mike Adenuga

69-year-old Mike Adenuga with a net worth of $6.1 billion has been Nigeria’s second richest man for a while but that spot has now been taken by Rabiu. Adenuga currently ranks at position 418 overall on the Forbes world billionaire’s index.

He has diversified interest, but majorly in oil and telecom investments. In 2022, he had a net worth of $7.2 billion, meaning his wealth shrank drastically.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa has consistently been home to Africa’s wealthiest persons.

Johann Rupert & family

72-year-old Johann Rupert and his family are the second richest persons in Africa with a net worth of $11.1 billion. He is in position 157 overall on the world richest list. He deals in luxury goods and retail business.

Rupert is the chair of Swiss luxury goods firm Compagnie Financiere Richemont.

Nicky Oppenheimer & family

77 year old mining mogul Nicky Oppenheimer and family have a net worth of $8.4 billion, putting them in position 242 overall in the world list. They have large interests in the diamond mining industry.

The Nicky Oppenheimer wealth fell slightly from $8.7 billion in 2022.

Patrice Motsepe

61-year-old entrepreneur and CAF President Patrice Motsepe has been among the richest Africans for a while, and first made it to the Forbes list in 2008 as the first black African ever.

Motsepe currently has a net worth of $2.7 billion, a drop from the $3.3 billion he commanded in 2022. He ranks at position 1104 on the world list. His interests span the metals and mining sector.

Motsepe is the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals.

Koos Bekker

70-year-old media and entertainment mogul Koos Bekker has a net worth of $2.4 billion. Most of his wealth is attributed to Africa’s most valuable company NASPERS, which owns MultiChoice.

At position 1272, he has consistently been among the richest africans

Michiel Le Roux

73-year-old Michiel Le Roux wraps up the billionaire list of South Africans with a net worth of $1 billion in 2023. His interests are in finance and investment, owning 9% of Capitec Bank which he found in 2001.

EGYPT

Nassef Sawiris

62-year-old Nassef Sawiris is the third richest African with a net worth of $7.4 billion, a drop from the $7.7 billion he had in 2022. He ranks at position 305 on the overall world billionaires list 2023. His investments are in the construction and engineering sector, but much of his wealth is attributed to the 6% stake he holds in sportwear giant Adidas.

Mohamed Mansour

75-year-old Mohamed Mansour has a net worth of $3.6 billion, most of it attributed to the family business Mansour Group which his father founded in 1952. He ranks at position 787 overall on the Forbes list of richest people in the world.

This is a massive gain from the $2.5 billion he had in 2022.

Naguib Sawiris

68-year-old Naguib Sawiris is Nassef’s brother and has a net worth of $3.3 billion. Much if his wealth is held in the telecoms industry. He ranks at position 878 overall in the world.

Mohamed Al Fayed

94-year-old Mohamed Al Fayed has a net worth of $2 billion, mostly held in fashion and retail investments. Even though he was born and identifies as Egyptian, he moved to the UK in the mid-60s and made his fortune there. He ranks at position 1516 overall in 2023. His name was in the public limelight when his son Dodi Al Fayed succumbed in a crash while riding with Princess Diana in Paris.

Youssef Mansour

77-year-old Youssef Mansour has a net worth of $1.5 billion and breaks into the richest Africans list. He is the chairman of the Mansour Group, and ranks at position 1905 overall.

Yasseen Mansour

61-year-old Yasseen Mansour is the third member of the Mansour family in this list with a net worth of $1.3 billion. Overall, he is in position 2133 on the Forbes list and wraps up the Egyptian billionaires list.

ESWATINI

Nathan Kirsh

91-year-old Nathan Kirsh is the only billionaire from Eswatini with a net worth of $6.5 billion. His diversified investments span the fashion, retail, and real estate industry. Much of his wealth is held in the Jetro Holdings which is based in the USA. The company which owns restaurant supply stores Jetro Cash and Carry and Restaurant Depot. He is at position 390 in the overall world billionaire’s index.

ALGERIA

Issad Rebrab

79-year-old Issad Rebrab and family is the only Algerian to appear in the Forbes list of billionaires, with a net worth of $4.6 billion. He rans at position 591 overall. His ain investment is in the food and beverage industry and has served as CEO of Cevital for 50 years until July 2022 when his son, Malik, succeeded him.

ZIMBABWE

Strive Masiyiwa

62-year-old Strive Masiyiwa has been on the billionaires list since 2018, even though his wealth has been fluctuating every year. Strive Masiyiwa has a net worth of $1.9 billion in 2023, a drop from the $3 billion he commanded in 2022. He currently rans at position 1575 overall. Most of his wealth is in the telecom industry.

MOROCCO

Aziz Akhannouch and family

62-year-old Aziz Akhannouch and family command $1.5 billion, mostly from Akwa Group conglomerate that was founded by their father in 1932. Most of the investments are in petroleum. Overall, the family ranks at position 1905.

Othman Benjelloun and family

90 year old Othman Benjelloun and family command $1.3 billion to be the second Moroccan family in the bilionaire’s list. With interests in baning and insurance, Othman Benjelloun is CEO of BMCE Bank of Africa, which has a presence in more than 20 African countries. Overall, he ranks at position 2133 on the world richest list.

TANZANIA

Mohammed Dewji

47-year-old Mohammed Dewji is the only East African on the Forbes list of billionaires, and among the richest Africans. Mohammed Dewji has a net worth of $1.5 billion. He is CEO of METL, a Tanzanian conglomerate which his father founded by his father in the 1970s. Overall, he ranks at position 1905.