Forbes 2026 Ranking | Africa’s Billionaires

Beaten last year by South African billionaire Johann Rupert, Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote has reclaimed the top spot among Africa’s wealthiest individuals. His compatriot Abdul Samad Rabiu has also entered the continent’s Top 5. The combined wealth of those featured in the ranking now exceeds 100 billion dollars — a record.

By Erwan Faust

METHODOLOGY

Based on the updated version of the Forbes Real Time Billionaires List — which tracks the world’s largest fortunes — this Forbes Africa ranking reviews the wealth of African billionaires whose residence or core economic activities are primarily located on the continent.

This eligibility criterion automatically excludes several major fortunes of African origin that are established elsewhere, such as Sudanese-born Mo Ibrahim, who became a British citizen; Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed, who resides in London; as well as South Africans Nathan Kirsch and Elon Musk, whose business empires were built largely outside their countries of origin.

Conversely, Zimbabwean-born Strive Masiyiwa, who lives in the United Kingdom, is included in the ranking, as the majority of his assets remain anchored in Africa. The valuations used for this ranking are based on the most recent publicly available data and market estimates.