List of Top 15 Black Billionaires in the World in 2025, Forbes
- The Forbes list of black billionaires in the world features individuals valued above $1 billion (about KSh 129 billion)
- Nigeria and the United States dominated the Forbes list of black billionaires in 2025
- Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote remains the richest black person in the world
Elijah Ntongai, an editor at TUKO.co.ke, has over four years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting experience, providing insights into Kenyan, African, and global trends.
Forbes has released its 2025 ranking of the world’s Black billionaires.
Source: Getty Images
The list highlights the rising influence of African and African-American entrepreneurs, entertainers, and sports icons in global wealth creation.
Nigeria reaffirmed its role as Africa’s billionaire capital, while the US retains its lead as home to the largest number of wealthy individuals of African descent.
Nigerian billionaires
Aliko Dangote, Nigerian industrialist and the richest man on the African continent, remained the richest Black person.
Dangote's net worth soared to $23.9 billion (KSh 3.08 trillion) in 2025 following the long-awaited launch of the Dangote Refinery in 2024. The milestone project added more than $10 billion to his fortune within a single year.
Other Nigerian tycoons, including Mike Adenuga ($6.8B – KSh 878.15B) and Abdulsamad Rabiu ($5.1B – KSh 658.61B), continue to hold their ground through thriving investments in telecoms, oil, cement, and sugar.
The West African powerhouse also welcomed new entrants such as Femi Otedola ($1.5B – KSh 193.71B), chairman of Geregu Power, and Tope Awotona ($1.4B – KSh 180.80B), the Nigerian-born founder of scheduling platform Calendly.
Elsewhere on the continent, Zimbabwe’s Strive Masiyiwa ($1.2B – KSh 154.97B) and South Africa’s Patrice Motsepe ($3B – KSh 387.42B) made the cut.
United States black billionaires
The United States was also dominant in the 2025 list of black billionaires as tech, sports, and finance heavyweights featured heavily, led by David Steward ($11.4B – KSh 1.47T), founder of Worldwide Technology, and Robert F. Smith ($10.8B – KSh 1.39T), the private equity mogul behind Vista Equity Partners.
Entertainment giants also secured their places, with Jay-Z ($2.5B – KSh 322.85B), Oprah Winfrey ($3B – KSh 387.42B), Tyler Perry ($1.4B – KSh 180.80B), and Rihanna ($1.4B – KSh 180.80B).
Sports figures from the US were also heavily featured in the list, with Michael Jordan ($3.5B – KSh 451.42B), Magic Johnson ($1.5B – KSh 193.71B), Tiger Woods ($1.4B – KSh 180.80B), and LeBron James ($1.3B – KSh 167.88B) featured prominently.
Who are the top 15 richest black persons in the world?
| 1. Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) – $23.9b (KSh 3.09t)2. David Steward (U.S.) – $11.4b (KSh 1.47t)3. Robert F. Smith (U.S.) – $10.8b (KSh 1.40t)4. Mike Adenuga (Nigeria) – $6.8b (KSh 878b)5. Abdulsamad Rabiu (Nigeria) – $5.1b (KSh 659b)6. Michael Jordan (U.S.) – $3.5b (KSh 452b)7. Oprah Winfrey (U.S.) – $3b (KSh 387b)8. Patrice Motsepe (South Africa) – $3b (KSh 387b)9. Jay-Z (U.S.) – $2.5b (KSh 323b)10. Magic Johnson (U.S.) – $1.5b (KSh 194b)11. Femi Otedola (Nigeria) – $1.5b (KSh 194b)12. Tope Awotona (Nigeria/U.S.) – $1.4b (KSh 181b)13. Tyler Perry (U.S.) – $1.4b (KSh 181b)14. Rihanna (U.S./Barbados) – $1.4b (KSh 181b)16. Tiger Woods (U.S.) – $1.4b (KSh 181b) |
The Forbes list of black billionaires had 23 persons whose net worth was more than $1 billion (about KSh 129 billion).
Who are the richest people in Africa?
Earlier, TUKO.co.ke compiled a list of the top 10 richest individuals on the African continent.
Dangote retained his crown as Africa’s richest man, followed by South Africa’s Johann Rupert at $10.1 billion (KSh 1.31 trillion) and Nicky Oppenheimer at $9.4 billion (KSh 1.22 trillion).
Egypt’s Nassef Sawiris ranks fourth with $8.7 billion (KSh 1.13 trillion), while Nigerian telecom and oil tycoon Mike Adenuga closes the top five.
Other billionaires include Abdulsamad Rabiu ($5.1b – KSh 659.85b), Naguib Sawiris ($5b – KSh 647.5b), Koos Bekker ($3.4b – KSh 440.3b), Mohamed Mansour ($3.4b – KSh 440.3b), Patrice Motsepe ($3b – KSh 388.5b), Issad Rebrab & family ($3b – KSh 388.5b), and Mohammed Dewji ($2.2b – KSh 284.9b).
The African billionaires’ club reflects the continent’s diverse economic landscape, dominated by industries such as cement, oil, diamonds, luxury goods, telecoms, banking, and mining, with Nigeria and South Africa producing seven of the top ten richest individuals.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
