Forbes Magazine has taken it famous wealthiest list to the continent and released their inaugural “Africa’s 40 Richest” list on Wednesday.
Topping the list was Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote ($10.1 billion) a commodities titan with his hand in cement and sugar refinery among others. Nicky Oppenheimer ($6.1 billion) of South Africa’s DeBeers fame and Egypt’s Nassef Sawiris (4.75 billion) of Orascom Construction Industries followed suit in second and third place
The list was an eye opener not only on who is is raking in the money, but how and where.
- There are 16 billionaires on the list: Egypt has the most with seven; South Africa has four; while Nigeria has 8
- South Africa boasts the most members on the list at 15
- The average age is 61
- There are no women on the list
- One-quarter of the 40 have diversified fortunes, either through outright ownership of a conglomerate or via ownership of assets in diverse realms
- the second biggest industry is finance, accounting for the fortunes of 8 list members.
- Six made their fortunes in retailing.
Africa’s Top Ten Richest Men are:
- Aliko Dangote, 54, Nigeria – $10.1 billion
- Nicky Oppenheimer, 66, South Africa – $6.5 billion
- Nassef Sawiris, 50, Egypt- $4.75 billion
- Johann Rupert, 61, South Africa- $4.7 billion
- Mike Adenuga, 58, Nigeria – $4.3 billion
- Miloud Chaabi, 82, Morocco – $3 billion
- Naguib Sawiris, 57, Egypt – $2.9 billion
- Christoffel Wiese, 70, South Africa- $2.7 billion
- Onsi Sawiris (father of #3 and #7), 81, Egypt- $2.6 billion
- Patrice Motsepe, 47, South Africa, $2.5 billion
Find the rest of the top 40 here
