Five Africans are among the world’s 500 wealthiest people, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2021.
According to the index, Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, is Africa’s wealthiest person, with a net worth of $19.2 billion, up from $19.1 billion the previous year.
Globally, Tesla CEO – Elon Musk($292 billion), Amazon Chairman – Jeff Bezos($193 billion) and French businessman Bernard Arnault($180 billion) dominated the index by securing the top three spots. Bill Gates, Larry Page and Mark Zuckerberg are placed at fourth, fifth, and sixth spot with a net worth of $138 billion, $128 billion and $126 billion, respectively.
Here are the five Africans who feature in the top 500:
1) Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) – $19.2 billion
Ranked #97, Aliko Dangote is Africa’s richest person and controls Dangote Industries, a closely held conglomerate. The Lagos, Nigeria-based company owns sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest cement producer, Dangote Cement, which had revenue of 891.7 billion Naira ($2.5 billion) in 2019. It also has interests in sugar, salt, oil, fertiliser and packaged food.
2) Johann Rupert & family (South Africa) – $12.1 billion
Ranked #184 on the list, Rupert controls the world’s largest luxury watchmaker, Cie. Financiere Richemont, through a family trust. The Bellevue, Switzerland-based company’s brands include Jaeger-LeCoultre and Cartier. His other holdings include Remgro, a Stellenbosch, South Africa-based investment vehicle with stakes in more than 30 companies.
3) Natie Kirsh (South Africa) – $8.35 billion
Ranked #320 on the list, Kirsh began his fortune with 1,200-pound inheritance from his father. Today, Kirsh controls Kirsh Group, a closely held conglomerate with a majority stake in the food supply business Jetro Holdings. The College Point, New York-based business has Jetro Cash & Carry and Restaurant Depot stores across more than 30 states in the U.S. He also has private equity investments and property on four continents.
4) Nicky Oppenheimer (South Africa) – $7.95billion
Ranked #347 on the list, Nicky Oppenheimer is South Africa’s second-richest person with a net worth of $7.75billion. In 2012, Oppenheimer sold his family’s 40% stake in De Beers, the world’s biggest diamond producer, to mining company Anglo American for $5.2 billion in cash. He maintains private equity investments in Africa, Asia, the U.S. and Europe through London-based Stockdale Street and Johannesburg-based Tana Africa Capital.
5) Nassef Sawiris (Egypt) – $6.62 billion
Ranked #433 on the list is Egypt’s richest person, Nassef Sawiris, who owns 30% of OCI, a Geleen, Netherlands-based fertiliser producer formed out of a demerger from his family’s original business, Orascom Construction. His other assets include 6% of the sportswear company Adidas and a stake in LafargeHolcim, the world’s biggest cement maker.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
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