Forbes has published its annual African rich-list, listing the 21 richest people living in Africa – while also naming South Africa’s richest people at the start of 2017.
Those who feature on the list combine to make up a net worth of $70 billion. This is down from the 2015/16 list which featured 23 African billionaires worth a combined $79.8 billion, which is in turn was down from 28 African billionaires in 2014.
South Africans and Egyptians make up the majority of the list, each boasting six billionaires – although South Africa boasts the greatest amount of wealth, worth a combined $22.7 billion, $7 billion more than Egypt’s six billionaires.
Nigerian cement tycoon Aliko Dangote remains Africa’s richest person for the sixth year running with a $12.1 billion fortune, while only two female billionaires feature in Africa’s richest: Angola’s Isabel dos Santos – Africa’s richest woman with a $3.2 billion fortune, and Nigeria’s Folorunsho Alakija.
At 41, Tanzanian Mohammed Dewji is Africa’s youngest billionaire, well below the average age of 63.
In South Africa, the three-way tug-o-war between the country’s top three billionaires continues, with diamond magnate Nicky Oppenheimer pushing ahead of luxury goods Tycoon Johann Rupert and retail businessman Christo Wiese, to take the top spot.
Rupert and Wiese have both held the position as South Africa’s richest man over the past 2 years.
RankCountryNameNet WorthOrigin of Wealth
1NigeriaAliko Dangote$12.1 billionCement, sugar, flour
2South AfricaNicky Oppenheimer & family$7 billionDiamonds
3NigeriaMike Adenuga$5.8 billionTelecom, oil
4South AfricaJohann Rupert & family$5.5 billionLuxury goods
4South AfricaChristoffel Wiese$5.5 billionRetail
6EgyptNassef Sawiris$5.3 billionConstruction, chemicals
7EgyptNaguib Sawiris$3.7 billionTelecom
8AngolaIsabel dos Santos$3.2 billlionInvestments
9AlgeriaIssad Rebrab & family$3.1 billionFood
10EgyptMohamed Mansour$2.7 billionDiversified
11South AfricaKoos Bekker$2 billionMedia, investments
12MoroccoOthman Benjelloun$1.9 billionBanking, insurance
13EgyptYasseen Mansour$1.8 billionDiversified
14NigeriaFolorunsho Alakija$1.6 billionOil
14South AfricaPatrice Motsepe$1.6 billionMining
16MoroccoAziz Akhannouch & family$1.4 billionPetroleum, diversified
16TanzaniaMohammed Dewji$1.4 billionDiversified
18EgyptYoussef Mansour$1.1 billionDiversified
18EgyptOnsi Sawiris$1.1 billionConstruction, telecom
18MoroccoAnas Sefrioui$1.1 billionReal estate
18South AfricaStephen Saad$1.1 billionPharmaceuticals