African Billionaires

See which countries top the list.

Aliko Dangote - "Aliko is Africa’s richest man, and his business activities drive economic growth across the continent. That’s impressive, but I know him best as a leader constantly in search of ways to bridge the gap between private business and public health." — Bill Gates (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)

1 / 14

Aliko Dangote, Nigeria — $11.2 billion - Making his money in commodities trading nearly three decades ago, the Nigerian billionaire is the richest man on the African continent.  He controls Dangote Group, which has interests in commodities ranging from sugar refineries, flour milling, salt processing and cement plants across Africa.(Photo: REUTERS/Mike Hutchings)

Nicky Oppenheimer, South Africa — $6.5 billion - Oppenheimer’s family wealth comes from their generations-long involvement in the diamond business. Just last year, Oppenheimer decided to sell his family’s 40 percent stake in the De Beers company for $5.1 billion. The billionaire has vowed to invest a significant portion of the earnings in Africa.(Photo: REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

2 / 14

Nicky Oppenheimer, South Africa — $6.5 billion - Oppenheimer’s family wealth comes from their generations-long involvement in the diamond business. Just last year, Oppenheimer decided to sell his family’s 40 percent stake in the De Beers company for $5.1 billion. The billionaire has vowed to invest a significant portion of the earnings in Africa.(Photo: REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

Nassef Sawiris, Egypt — $4.75 billion - Part of Egypt’s wealthiest family, Sawiris runs family business Orascom Construction Industries, which was founded by his father, Onsi. In addition, Sawiris also has business interests abroad as he owns large shares of cement giant Lafarge and Texas Industries.\r(Photo: Benoit Tessier/Landov)

3 / 14

Nassef Sawiris, Egypt — $4.75 billion - Part of Egypt’s wealthiest family, Sawiris runs family business Orascom Construction Industries, which was founded by his father, Onsi. In addition, Sawiris also has business interests abroad as he owns large shares of cement giant Lafarge and Texas Industries.\r(Photo: Benoit Tessier/Landov)

Johann Rupert, South Africa — $4.7 billion - Rupert is chairman and chief executive officer of Richemont, a Swiss company that controls internationally known luxury brands such as Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc and Chloé. (Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

4 / 14

Johann Rupert, South Africa — $4.7 billion - Rupert is chairman and chief executive officer of Richemont, a Swiss company that controls internationally known luxury brands such as Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc and Chloé. (Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Mike Adenuga - Mike Adenuga, a Nigerian businessman with interests in telecommunication, banking and oil, has a net worth of $4.3 billion. (Photo: Forbes.com)

5 / 14

Mike Adenuga, Nigeria — $4.3 billion - Adenuga runs Nigeria's largest oil exploration company, Conoil Producing. He also owns Globacom, Nigeria's second-largest mobile telecom operator. However, Adenuga wasn’t born into his wealth, according to Forbes; the 58-year-old tycoon made his first million at age 26 selling lace and distributing soft drinks. He later benefitted from becoming a benefactor of Nigeria's former military president, Ibrahim Babangida.(Photo: Forbes.com)

ADVERTISEMENT
Miloud Chaabi, Morocco — $3 billion - The politically active Chaabi earned his billions through his company Ynna Holding, which has holdings in hotels, supermarkets and renewable energy.(Photo: Forbes.com)

6 / 14

Miloud Chaabi, Morocco — $3 billion - The politically active Chaabi earned his billions through his company Ynna Holding, which has holdings in hotels, supermarkets and renewable energy.(Photo: Forbes.com)

Christoffel Wiese, South Africa — $2.7 billion - Wiese is the chairman and the largest single shareholder of Africa’s biggest retailer, low-price supermarket chain Shoprite. In addition, Wiese also owns 44 percent of the discount chain Pepkor, where he sits on the board.\r \rWiese also holds several hundred million dollars of shares in private equity investor Brait, and owns five-star hotel Lanzerac Manor & Winery, wine producer Lourensford Estate and a private game reserve in the Kalahari Desert.\r(Photo: Forbes.com)

7 / 14

Christoffel Wiese, South Africa — $2.7 billion - Wiese is the chairman and the largest single shareholder of Africa’s biggest retailer, low-price supermarket chain Shoprite. In addition, Wiese also owns 44 percent of the discount chain Pepkor, where he sits on the board.\r \rWiese also holds several hundred million dollars of shares in private equity investor Brait, and owns five-star hotel Lanzerac Manor & Winery, wine producer Lourensford Estate and a private game reserve in the Kalahari Desert.\r(Photo: Forbes.com)

Onsi Sawiris, Egypt — $2.6 billion - The 81-year-old billionaire remains the head of Egypt’s wealthiest family.He earned his fortune by building Orascom Construction Industries, which his son Nassef Sawiris took over in 1995. (Photo: Forbes.com)

8 / 14

Onsi Sawiris, Egypt — $2.6 billion - The 81-year-old billionaire remains the head of Egypt’s wealthiest family.He earned his fortune by building Orascom Construction Industries, which his son Nassef Sawiris took over in 1995. (Photo: Forbes.com)

Patrice Motsepe - Patrice Motsepe is the only Black billionaire in South Africa and earned his money through mining. Like Oprah, he's worth $2.7 billion. (Photo: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann /Landov)

9 / 14

Patrice Motsepe, South Africa — $2.5 billion - Motsepe holds the distinct honor of being South Africa’s first and only Black billionaire, earning his fortune by building African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), which has interests in platinum, nickel, chrome, iron, manganese, coal, copper and gold. The Soweto-born entrepreneur entered the mining business after a career in law; becoming the first Black partner at Bowman Gilfillan law firm in Johannesburg. Motsepe bought low-producing gold mine shafts and transformed their profitability through management style.(Photo: Christian Hartmann/Landov)

Othman Benjelloun, Morocco — $2.4 billion - Benjelloun owns the publicly traded BMCE Bank, which is present in more than a dozen African countries. He also profits from his holding company, Groupe Finance Com, which has interests in telecom, airlines and information technology. Benjelloun started the bank after taking the helm of a small Moroccan insurance company in which his father was a large shareholder. (Photo: Rafael Marchante/Landov)

10 / 14

Othman Benjelloun, Morocco — $2.4 billion - Benjelloun owns the publicly traded BMCE Bank, which is present in more than a dozen African countries. He also profits from his holding company, Groupe Finance Com, which has interests in telecom, airlines and information technology. Benjelloun started the bank after taking the helm of a small Moroccan insurance company in which his father was a large shareholder. (Photo: Rafael Marchante/Landov)

ADVERTISEMENT
Mohamed Mansour, Egypt — $1.7 billion - Mansour and his brothers are some of Egypt’s wealthiest businessmen. The family earned its fortune by becoming the biggest seller of GM vehicles in the world. In addition, the family also holds considerable shares in the country's second biggest real estate developer, Palm Hills, and the Philip Morris franchise, which Forbes reports is experiencing a major jump in sales of Marlboro cigarettes.\r(Photo: Forbes.com)

11 / 14

Mohamed Mansour, Egypt — $1.7 billion - Mansour and his brothers are some of Egypt’s wealthiest businessmen. The family earned its fortune by becoming the biggest seller of GM vehicles in the world. In addition, the family also holds considerable shares in the country's second biggest real estate developer, Palm Hills, and the Philip Morris franchise, which Forbes reports is experiencing a major jump in sales of Marlboro cigarettes.\r(Photo: Forbes.com)

Anas Sefrioui, Morocco — $1.75 billion - This North African entrepreneur earned his fortune in real estate development after he won contracts to build large tracts of government-subsidized housing.(Photo: Douja Promotion Groupe Addoha)

12 / 14

Anas Sefrioui, Morocco — $1.75 billion - This North African entrepreneur earned his fortune in real estate development after he won contracts to build large tracts of government-subsidized housing.(Photo: Douja Promotion Groupe Addoha)

Youssef Mansour, Egypt — $1.6 billion - The 66-year-old billionaire comes from a family of billionaire businessmen and is best known for launching Egypt's largest supermarket chain, Metro. The rest of Mansour’s fortune comes from his family’s wealth, built by becoming the world’s largest seller of GM vehicles. According to Forbes, Mansour now devotes most of his time to the family foundation, which targets illiteracy and education. (Photo: Forbes.com)

13 / 14

Youssef Mansour, Egypt — $1.6 billion - The 66-year-old billionaire comes from a family of billionaire businessmen and is best known for launching Egypt's largest supermarket chain, Metro. The rest of Mansour’s fortune comes from his family’s wealth, built by becoming the world’s largest seller of GM vehicles. According to Forbes, Mansour now devotes most of his time to the family foundation, which targets illiteracy and education. (Photo: Forbes.com)

Mohamed Al Fayed, Egypt — $1.3 billion - Already wealthy, the Egyptian billionaire made a reported $2.4 billion when he sold ownership of London’s famed Harrod's department store in 2010. He now owns U.K. discount fashion website Cocosa, the Hotel Ritz in Paris, the Fulham football club, a castle in Scotland and has a ground lease on 75 Rockefeller Plaza in New York. Fayed’s son, Dodi, was the boyfriend of the late Princess Diana and died in the same car crash that killed the British royal in 1997. (Photo: Ian Walton/Getty Images)

14 / 14

Mohamed Al Fayed, Egypt — $1.3 billion - Already wealthy, the Egyptian billionaire made a reported $2.4 billion when he sold ownership of London’s famed Harrod's department store in 2010. He now owns U.K. discount fashion website Cocosa, the Hotel Ritz in Paris, the Fulham football club, a castle in Scotland and has a ground lease on 75 Rockefeller Plaza in New York. Fayed’s son, Dodi, was the boyfriend of the late Princess Diana and died in the same car crash that killed the British royal in 1997. (Photo: Ian Walton/Getty Images)