A South African business magnate, Johann Rupert, has surpassed Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote to claim the title of Africa’s richest person, according to Forbes Magazine. Dangote’s net worth dropped from $13.5 billion in 2023 to $9.5 billion at the beginning of 2024, causing him to slip to the second position. The Forbes Daily billionaires ranking platform, which tracks daily fluctuations in the net worth of high-net-worth individuals globally, also noted declines in the rankings of Nigerian billionaires Rabiu Abdulsamad and Mike Adenuga.
Mike Adenuga fell to the tenth position, while Patrice Motsepe, previously in the top ten in 2023, did not make the cut in the 2024 list of the wealthiest individuals. Notably, the Forbes ranking for the wealthiest people in Africa at the start of the year does not include any women in the top ten.
The depreciation of the Naira and other economic challenges are cited as factors contributing to the reduction in Dangote’s wealth. In the 2024 rankings, Johann Rupert & Family retained the top spot as Africa’s richest, with their wealth decreasing from $10.7 billion to $10.3 billion. This shift reflects the changing landscape in African wealth, marking Rupert’s ascent and Dangote’s decline from $13.5 billion to $9.5 billion.
List of Africa’s richest men (Rank, Name and Net worth)
1. Johann Rupert & Family $10.3 billion
2. Aliko Dangote $9.5 billion
3. Nicky Oppenheimer & Family $8.3 billion
4. Nassef Sawiris $7.4 billion
5. Abdulsamad Rabiu $5.9 billion
6. Nathan Kirsh $5.8 billion
7. Issad Rebrab & Family $4.6 billion
8. Mohamed Mansour $3.6 billion
9. Naguib Sawiris $3.3 billion
10. Mike Adenuga $3.1 billion