Some of Ghana’s celebrated wealthy businessmen like Sam Jonah, Ibrahim Mahama and Osei Kwame Despite did not make it onto Forbes’ list of richest people in Africa for 2023 released recently.
The list of the 18 richest people in Africa were all classified as “billionaires” by Forbes Magazine.
All the billionaires came from only seven of the 54 African countries. Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote topped the list with a fortune of $13.5 billion.
The Nigerian industrialist still topped the list despite losing $400 million in the year under review.
The 2023 Forbes list of Africa’s super-rich makes Dangote the richest person on the continent twelve times in a row.
Following closely is South Africa’s luxury goods mogul Johann Rupert. He placed second with a net worth of $10.7 billion. He is also reported to have lost $300 million in the year under review.
In third place is another South African Nicky Oppenheimer and his family with $8.4 billion.
According to the list, the top ten wealthiest Africans come from only three countries — Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt.
The top ten list is as follows:
1. Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) – $13.5bn
2. Johann Rupert (S.Africa) – $10.7bn
3. Nicky Oppenheimer (S.Africa) – $8.4bn
4. Abdulsalmad Rabiu (Nigeria) – $7.6bn
5. Nasser Sawiris (Egypt) – $7.3bn
6. Mike Adenuga (Nigeria) – $6.3bn
7. Issad Rebrab (Algeria) – $4.6bn
8. Naguib Sawiris (Egypt) – $3.3bn
9. Patrice Motsepe (S.Africa) – $3.2bn
10. Mohamed Mansour (Egypt) – $2.9bn.
However, in the 11 to 18 positions, four more African countries make the list.
UGC Forbes has explained that the net worths of the super-rich were calculated using their stock prices and currency exchange rates from the close of business on Friday, January 13, 2023.
This means the stocks of the business conglomerates owned by Ghanaians like Sam Jonah, Kwame Despite and Ibrahim Mahama are not in the billions of dollars.
Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim did not make it on the list because he is a U.K. citizen and operates outside of Africa, Forbes explained.
The same reasons were assigned for the exclusion of South Africa’s Nathan Kirsh and Egypt’s Mohamed Al-Fayed.
Source: Forbes
