Nicky Oppenheimer’s net worth rises by $700 million

Key Points

• Nicky Oppenheimer’s net worth rebounded by $700 million in 12 days, easing earlier $2 billion losses recorded between February and April.
• His wealth now stands at $10.8 billion, fueled by private investment revaluations via Stockdale Street and Tana Africa Capital.
• Beyond investing, Oppenheimer supports conservation and jobs through South Africa’s Tswalu Reserve and Zimbabwe’s Shangani Ranch.

After a rough patch earlier this year, South Africa’s second-richest man, Nicky Oppenheimer, is seeing signs of recovery. His net worth, which dropped by $2 billion between late February and early April, has rebounded by $700 million in just 12 days, easing some of those earlier losses.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Oppenheimer’s fortune climbed from $10.1 billion on April 10 to $10.8 billion at the time of writing. The recent upswing is largely credited to the revaluation of his wide-ranging private investments.

Just a few weeks ago, between February 21 and April 10, his wealth had dipped from $12.1 billion to $10.1 billion, a $2 billion slide. With this partial rebound, his year-to-date losses have now narrowed to $750 million, compared to the $2.75 billion reported earlier in April.

Oppenheimer extends reach beyond diamonds

At 79, Nicky Oppenheimer remains one of Africa’s richest men. Over a decade after ending his family’s eight-decade legacy in the diamond trade—selling their 40 percent stake in De Beers to Anglo American for $5.2 billion—he continues to leave a lasting mark. Today, he ranks as the 250th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $10.7 billion.

Much of his continued success can be traced to his private investments, managed through Stockdale Street in London and Tana Africa Capital in Johannesburg. These firms have helped the Oppenheimer family maintain a strong presence in key industries across Africa and other regions.

Alongside his son Jonathan, Oppenheimer also co-founded the family office, Oppenheimer Generations. With hubs in Johannesburg and Singapore, the firm focuses on bridging opportunities between Africa and Asia, particularly in markets with high growth potential.

One standout investment is GZ Industries (GZI), Nigeria’s largest producer of beverage cans. In 2023, Jonathan’s firm, Oppenheimer Partners, acquired full ownership by buying out the remaining 37.5 percent stake from Affirma Capital. GZI supplies major brands like Coca-Cola, deepening the family’s ties to Africa’s fast-growing consumer goods sector.

Oppenheimer’s ranch boosts conservation, exports

But Oppenheimer’s influence stretches well beyond boardrooms and balance sheets. He’s also deeply committed to conservation. Together with Jonathan, he co-owns Tswalu Kalahari, South Africa’s largest private game reserve, a sanctuary for endangered species and a vital part of preserving the region’s biodiversity.

He also owns Shangani Ranch in Zimbabwe, a sprawling 65,000-hectare estate that serves as a key wildlife migration corridor. The ranch not only supports conservation efforts but also sustains around 400 local jobs and contributes to the economy through beef exports to the UK.