Forbes list - African billionaires 2019

Read time - 02:11

Here is it again, the famous list from Forbes, showcasing Africa's billionaires in 2019. You are probably not on the list, but here is some inspiration.

Every year, Forbes tracks the wealth of African billionaires who reside in Africa or have their primary business in Africa. They calculate their net worth using assets, paper stock, and currency exchanges among other aspects. Of the 20 selected this year, five of them were from South Africa and only two are female: Isabel dos Santos, daughter of Angola's former president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Folorunsho Alakija of Nigeria.

In a per country ranking, Egypt and South Africa were tied with five billionaires each, followed by Nigeria with four and Morocco with two. For the eighth year in a row, Aliko Dangote of Nigeria is Africa's richest person. The second richest person is Mike Adenuga, also of Nigeria worth $9.2 billion. Number three is diamond heir Nicky Oppenheimer of South Africa, his grandfather founded diamond mining firm DeBeers, which he ran and then sold to mining giant Anglo American for $5.1 billion cash in 2012.

Three South Africans who fell off the list last year, are Stephen Saad, founder of generics drug firm Aspen Pharmacare; Desmond Sacco, chairman of iron ore mining company Assore Group; and Chris Wiese, founder of retailer Pepkor and former chairman of the now embattled furniture retailer, Steinhoff International.

Overall, the number of African billionaires has shrunk to 20, down from 23 a year ago.

1. The Richest Africans as of February 2019 are:
   Aliko Dangote
2. Mike Adenuga
3. Nicky Oppenheimer
4. Nassef Sawiris
5. Johann Rupert
6. Issad Rebrab
7. Naguib Sawiris
8. Patrice Motsepe
9. Isabel dos Santos
10. Mohamed Mansour
11. Strive Masiyiwa
12. Koos Bekker
13. Aziz Akhannouch
14. Mohammed Dewji
15. Othman Benjelloun
16. Abdulsamad Rabiu
17. Yasseen Mansour
18. Youssef Mansour
19. Folorunsho Alakija
20. Michiel Le Roux
    
    
    The five South African billionaires are:
    
    1. Nicky Oppenheimer
    Age: 73
    Net worth: R102 billion
    Source of wealth: Sold his family's 40% stake in De Beers, the world's biggest diamond producer to mining company Anglo American in 2012 for $5.2 billion
    
    2. Johann Rupert
    Age: 68
    Net worth: R74.2 billion
    Source of wealth: Rupert controls the world's largest luxury watchmaker, Cie. Financiere Richemont, through a family trust. 
    
    3. Patrice Motsepe
    Age: 57
    Net worth: R35 billion
    Source of wealth: Mining business and his investment portfolio: He's the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals and became a billionaire in 2008
    
    4. Koos Bekker
    Age: 66
    Net worth: R33.6 billion
    Source of wealth: Bekker is revered for transforming South African newspaper publisher Naspers into an e-commerce investor & cable TV powerhouse.
    
    5. Michiel le Roux
    Age: 69
    Net worth: R15.4 billion
    Source of wealth: Completing our list of SA billionaires on the Top 20 Richest Africans list is Le Roux. He founded Capitec Bank in 2001 and owns about an 11% stake.
    
    While we cannot help you get on the Forbes list of billionaires in Africa, we can certainly give you the edge by helping you with your next career opportunity. Visit our website to find out how you can earn a better salary.